RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Teaching Staff:
“When we lose our spiritual vocabulary, we lose much more than words. We lose the power of speaking grace, forgiveness, love, and justice over others.” Jonathan Merritt
KS3
At Key Stage 3 pupils follow the NI Core Syllabus for RE. The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower pupils to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible choices and decisions throughout their lives as individuals, as contributors to society, and as contributors to the economy and the environment.
Religious Studies teaches pupils to engage with the world as ethical and spiritual beings and examine their own ethical and religious beliefs, as well as the beliefs of others. This develops their critical thinking skills as they explore ethical issues and a range of responses to them. It also broadens their horizons and prepares them for life as a global citizen, allowing them to appreciate the diversity of faiths and cultures in our world today.
Teachers use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help pupils develop a keen interest in Religious Studies. Pupils of all faiths and none are taught together, in line with our integrated ethos.
In Year 8, students investigate the following topics.
In Year 9 students study:
Islam
Jesus
In Year 10 we prepare pupils for GCSE by investigating:
ETHICS
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
GCSE
RS remains a popular subject at GCSE, attracting pupils of all faiths and none.
The department follows the CCEA specification.
YEAR 11: Unit 6 Christian Ethics
YEAR 12: Unit 7 – Philosophy of Religion
OCN NI Level 2 Award in Religious Studies
Pupils in Sperrin also have the opportunity to gain a Level 2 qualification in Religious Studies. This qualification is designed for learners who wish to develop knowledge and understanding in Religious Studies in order to make sense of religious choices people make in today’s society. It is intended that learners will develop empathy, respect and awareness of other religious beliefs and cultural diversity. There is no external exam in this qualification; instead throughout Years 11 and 12 pupils build their own personal portfolio which includes evidence of the 9 units studied.
Units studied include:
A-Level
A-Level is offered as required by pupils, either in Sperrin or in collaboration.
In Sperrin, we focus on Ethics and Philosophy of Religion.
- Mrs J Palmer – BEd (Hons), AVCM - Head of Department
- Mrs M Fullen – BA/BSc (Hons), PGCE, CPT3A
- Miss J Frazer – BEd (Hons)
- Miss M Murray – BA (Hons), PGCE
“When we lose our spiritual vocabulary, we lose much more than words. We lose the power of speaking grace, forgiveness, love, and justice over others.” Jonathan Merritt
KS3
At Key Stage 3 pupils follow the NI Core Syllabus for RE. The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower pupils to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible choices and decisions throughout their lives as individuals, as contributors to society, and as contributors to the economy and the environment.
Religious Studies teaches pupils to engage with the world as ethical and spiritual beings and examine their own ethical and religious beliefs, as well as the beliefs of others. This develops their critical thinking skills as they explore ethical issues and a range of responses to them. It also broadens their horizons and prepares them for life as a global citizen, allowing them to appreciate the diversity of faiths and cultures in our world today.
Teachers use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help pupils develop a keen interest in Religious Studies. Pupils of all faiths and none are taught together, in line with our integrated ethos.
In Year 8, students investigate the following topics.
- Credo – What do I believe
- Books of Truth – An introduction to the Bible and other sacred texts
- Answering God’s call (Abraham, Moses, St Patrick)
- Ethics: Slavery
- One God in 3 ways: Christian Beliefs about God
- One God in many ways: Hinduism
In Year 9 students study:
Islam
- The 5 Pillars of Islam
- The Life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
- The Qur’an
- Muslim values
Jesus
- Life in an Occupied Country
- Faith and Followers
- Miracles and Teachings
- The Last Week and Beyond
In Year 10 we prepare pupils for GCSE by investigating:
ETHICS
- Making moral decisions / The Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- Crime and Punishment, including capital punishment
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
- Ultimate Questions
- The Problem of Evil
- The Nature of God
GCSE
RS remains a popular subject at GCSE, attracting pupils of all faiths and none.
The department follows the CCEA specification.
YEAR 11: Unit 6 Christian Ethics
- Personal and Family Issues
- Sexual relationships
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Family Life
- Matters of Life and Death
- Abortion
- Euthanasia
- Capital Punishment
- Crime and Punishment
- Developments and Bioethics
- Infertility
- Surrogacy
- Contemporary Issues in Christianity
- Prejudice and Discrimination
- Poverty
- Modern Warfare
- Just War
- Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Pacifism
YEAR 12: Unit 7 – Philosophy of Religion
- Creation Stories
- The Nature and Existence of God
- The Problem of Evil
- Experiencing God
- Life after Death
OCN NI Level 2 Award in Religious Studies
Pupils in Sperrin also have the opportunity to gain a Level 2 qualification in Religious Studies. This qualification is designed for learners who wish to develop knowledge and understanding in Religious Studies in order to make sense of religious choices people make in today’s society. It is intended that learners will develop empathy, respect and awareness of other religious beliefs and cultural diversity. There is no external exam in this qualification; instead throughout Years 11 and 12 pupils build their own personal portfolio which includes evidence of the 9 units studied.
Units studied include:
- Addiction
- Charity and Religious Charities
- Exploring Personal Identity and Faith
- Exploring Religious Traditions with Own Community
- Life and Death Issues
- Life of a Famous Person of Faith
- Marriage and Divorce
- Prejudice and Reconciliation
- World Faith
A-Level
A-Level is offered as required by pupils, either in Sperrin or in collaboration.
In Sperrin, we focus on Ethics and Philosophy of Religion.