Aims/Objectives

The study of the Judaeo-Christian tradition makes up a core component of the RE course, alongside the other main religious and secular worldviews.  One of the main objectives of both the school and the department is to give boys the opportunity to consider and explore the Christian faith for themselves. RE has an important contribution to make to the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of pupils.  By studying religions, pupils can examine various moral frameworks so that the fundamental questions of human existence can be considered.  At all times we attempt to create a balance between ‘learning about’ and ‘learning from’ religions.

FORM I (YEAR 7)

The course begins by asking ‘Who is God?’  Looking through the lens of the different world religions, the students learn about the different aspects of the divine.  The learning objective is to address the similarities and differences of the nature of God between the different religions.  For example, the Creator God in the Christian Trinitarian tradition is juxtaposed against the Trimurti of the Hindu Brahman.  The course explores in more depth the religious traditions, worship and practice, of Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.  The approach is narrative-based.  The Hindu module reveals moral actions and consequences in the epic poem, the Ramayana.  The Buddhist module focuses upon the life of Prince Siddhartha and his progress towards enlightenment.  The Sikhism module allows the students to discover the contextual difficulties that practising religion in a growing secular society presents.  It is hoped that by the end of the course the students will be familiar with, and able to differentiate between, the key beliefs and traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism, ready to explore the Judaeo-Christian tradition in Form 2.

FORM II (YEAR 8)

Pupils first study the Old Testament and the ancient history of the Jewish race, focussing on the key themes of Covenant, Law and Prophecy.  Modern Jewish practices and beliefs are considered in conjunction with the Biblical stories.  They then move on to a study of the New Testament story, with particular emphasis on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the growth of the Church, and modern Christian practice.  Crucial to the pupils’ understanding is the way in Christianity grew out of Judaism and the links between the two faiths.  In both elements of the course, there is a strong emphasis on making the Bible relevant to a 21st century audience.

FORM III (YEAR 9)

In Form III we broaden the spectrum to consider the whole concept of what it means to believe and how belief affects behaviour.  Both religious and secular ‘faiths’ are considered, including Islam, Nazism and Consumerism.  We also devote time to some contemporary moral issues such as Crime and Punishment, Pacifism and Terrorism.  Y the time boys make their subject choices for GCSE, therefore, they will have studied elements of the six main world religions, and will also have had the opportunity to consider some crucial philosophical, moral and spiritual questions.

Use of ICT

Pupils complete at least one ICT-based project per year, using the skills developed in their ICT lessons.  In addition, pupils are encouraged to use computers in producing their preps and in the production of display work.  Use of the Internet as a research tool is also a feature of the course.

Setting

All groups are mixed ability.

Content of End of Year Examinations

In each year, the examination will be set on all work covered during the year.