Religious Education
In accordance with the Northamptonshire Agreed Syllabus, approximately 20 weeks are spent on the Christianity units in each of Years 7, 8 and 9, and approximately 15 weeks on Hinduism (Year 7), 15 weeks on Judaism (Year 8) and 15 weeks on Islam (Year 9). This is to provide a balance between Christianity and other religions. At the end of Year 9, 5 weeks are spent on a school designed unit, which covers moral issues. Various teaching methods are used throughout Key Stage 3, including textbooks, videos, artefacts, discussion, art and active thinking exercises.
Level descriptors are used to continually assess students on the 2 attainment targets: knowledge and understanding of religions and responding to questions of meaning and value. These level descriptors demonstrate and give teachers guidance to help them assess and report on students’ progress at the end of each year in Key Stage 3.
The teaching of Religious Education throughout Key Stage 3 is based on objectivity and the promoting of tolerance and diversity. Through RE students learn about religion in order to understand what it means to be religious. Students also develop skills such as enquiry, interpretation, reflection, empathy, expression, evaluation, analysis and application. All students are encouraged to form and express their own views and opinions and to listen to and acknowledge the views of others. In all of the units, the teaching focuses on issues that are relevant to today’s world, from the environment to the conflict in the Middle East, in order to make the subject accessible and interesting to students.
Parents of students who wish to withdraw their child from Religious Education should contact the College so alternative arrangements can be made.
At Key Stage 4 all students study for a short course GCSE in “Philosophy and Ethic”. This is taught for one 50 minute lesson per week and is assessed at the end of Year 11 by an external written examination set by the OCR Examination Board.It covers a range of topics including Euthanasia, Marriage and Divorce, Crime and Justice. Students are encouraged to explore their own beliefs and become aware of other perspectives on controversial issues.
