Religious Studies Sciences

Religious Studies

RELIGIOUS STUDIES

‘GCSE Religious Studies was the course I most enjoyed in Year 10 & Year 11.’ ‘The course was fun, relevant and always interesting.’ ‘Religious Studies introduced me to many issues and topics that I had never studied before and prepared me for my degree in Medicine.’ (Quotes from former students)

WHAT IS THE COURSE ABOUT?

Knowledge of the beliefs, values and traditions of those in your community is key to building a society where everyone is understood and respected. With this in mind, the Religious Studies department offers an exciting course that covers the main issues of Philosophy and Religion as well as Religion and Ethics. The two units you will study cover the following fascinating topics and consider religious teachings, beliefs and attitudes about: • Sex, marriage and divorce • Families and gender equality • Philosophical arguments for and against the existence of God • Religion, violence, terrorism and war • Religion and belief in 21st century conflict • Religion, crime and the causes of crime • Religion and punishment • Human rights

WHO TAKES RELIGIOUS STUDIES GCSE?

Anyone who has some curiosity about, interest in and sensitivity to philosophy, religious ideas and ethical issues will enjoy the course. You may be uncertain about what you believe and be open to new insights; you may have strong traditions in your family and firm convictions of your own and wish to study them in depth; perhaps you would rather develop an understanding of unfamiliar beliefs and cultures in order to enhance your career prospects, become a better citizen or travel the world with greater enjoyment.

WHAT WILL I GAIN FROM TAKING THE COURSE?

Religious Studies will help you develop marketable skills and aptitudes including: • analytical and strategic thinking; • research skills; • critical judgement; • the ability to work with abstract, conceptual ideas; • an ability to ‘understand both sides’ and negotiate and resolve conflict; • problem-solving skills; • leadership skills; • understanding of the impact of conflicting ideologies; • an appreciation of human diversity, belief systems, cultural and spiritual experiences.

Drama

Religious Studies

These skills are particularly useful for future careers in law, education, social work, politics, medicine, administration or the media and can be a preparation for later studies in psychology, philosophy, anthropology and sociology as well as theology.

HOW WILL YOU STUDY?

We don’t read through textbooks every lesson – we discuss newspaper articles and learn from debate. You will continue to use active-learning techniques such as role-play, brainstorming and group discussion and there is an emphasis on using interactive tools such as Firefly, YouTube and other online resources.

An interest in up-to-date issues is essential to get the most out of studying Religious Studies.

The curriculum will be enriched by visiting speakers: for instance, members of a particular faith, or a chaplain from a local hospice. We will have at least one educational visit in Year 10 and Year 11; last year, we visited two synagogues in North London and the Jewish Museum. Students of Religious Studies GCSE are encouraged, Covid permitting, to take part in our annual trip to Poland, a trip that has real impact on everyone who participates. We take a tour of the beautiful city of Krakow with its stunning square filled with boutiques and Polish craft shops as well as try out some of the local cuisine. Students visit Wieliczka Salt Mine, which is breathtaking. The focus of the trip is a reflection on the Shoah, the Holocaust. We visit the camps of AuschwitzBirkenau and the museum and have the opportunity to meet a Holocaust survivor who shares their testimony with us and to visit the factory of Oscar Schindler, a man who saved hundreds of innocent Jewish adults and children, risking his own life by doing so. Closer to home, students visit a London church and a Jewish synagogue in Hendon, guided by a member of the community who tells us of what it means to be Jewish and the impact that the laws of Judaism have on their lives.

HOW WILL YOU BE ASSESSED?

There will be two examination papers at the end of the course.