All pupils study Religious Education as a core subject. We seek to support our pupils spiritually on life’s journey as they learn about Christ, his teachings and Church. Pupils are encouraged to analyse and evaluate their own beliefs, attitudes, values and opinions in order to develop academically, spiritually, socially, morally and emotionally. 

In Year 7 pupils follow the Religious Education Directory for Catholic schools, colleges and academies in England and Wales. This year provides the theological foundations of Catholicism. The focus is on God’s revelation and salvation history. The topics covered are:

• Creation and Covenant – general and special revelation, Creation and how humans come to know God through use of natural reason.
• Prophecy and Promise – Sacred Scripture for Catholics.
• Galilee to Jerusalem – Jesus and the Incarnation.
• Desert to garden – the presence of Christ with the Church through the sacraments.
• To the ends of the Earth – the presence of the Holy Spirit with the Church.
• Dialogue and encounter – Councils of the Church and study of worldviews.

Pupils follow The Truth which consists of the following topics.

1. Creation
2. The Covenant
3. Mystery of the Eucharist
4. The Paschal Mystery
5. Mission of the Church
6. The Church in Britain

Pupils start the Year by following The Life which consists of the topic areas listed below.

1. Spiritual Quest
2. The Gospels
3. Life in the Spirit
4. God’s Call
5. Morality & Conscience
6. Dialogue with Other Faiths
7. Introduction to Judaism

Pupils follow the Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies course pathway A. Pupils sit three exams the weightings of which are detailed below. Year 10 current focuses on Judaism and Catholic Christianity, whilst Year 11 focuses on completion of the Catholic Christianity unit and Catholic philosophy and ethics.

Firstly pupils study the Judaism unit the Catholic Christianity unit in Year 10 and the Catholic philosophy unit in Year 11. This programme of study is, as now, interspersed with exam technique, assessment and some revision.

 Area of study 1 – Catholic Christianity (50%)

• Beliefs and teachings (The Trinity, Bible, Creation, Humanity, Incarnation, Paschal Mystery, Eschatology)
• Practices (Sacraments, Liturgical worship, funeral rites, prayer, popular piety, pilgrimage, social teaching, evangelism)
• Sources of wisdom and authority (Bible, Interpretation of the Bible, magisterium, Vatican II, Body of Christ, Four Marks of the Church, Mary)
• Forms of expression and ways of life (church architecture, sacred objects, artwork in Catholicism, sculpture and statues, religious art, drama, music)

 Area of study 2 – Judaism (25%)

• Beliefs and teachings (Almighty, Shekihinah, Messiah, Sinai, Abraham, sanctity of life, moral principles and the Mitzvot, life after death)
• Practices (worship, Tenakh, Talmud, private prayer, Shema and Amidah, ritual and ceremony, Shabbat, festivals)

Area of study 3 – Catholic philosophy and ethics (25%)

• Arguments for the existence of God (revelation, miracles, experiences, design, suffering, solutions)
• Religious teachings on relationships an families in the 21^st century (marriage, sexual relationships, family, divorce, annulment and marriage, equality, gender prejudice)

 Further details on the course, including specification and past papers, can be found at: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/religious-studies-a-2016.html