Religious Studies
Intent
Our aim is to provide a broad and balanced 5-year Religious Studies curriculum for all students and to support students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. We encourage students to develop a positive attitude towards their learning through a curriculum which is designed to be both inspiring and challenging. We aim to prepare students to be part of a culturally diverse modern world by developing the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle challenging questions raised by religion and other worldviews.
Students explore and evaluate religious and non-religious beliefs and how they impact the choices made by individuals by exploring religious, spiritual and moral questions. Students will also be given the opportunity to reflect upon and articulate their personal beliefs, values and viewpoints in a respectful manner. They are encouraged to relate their learning to the wider world, in preparation for adult life and to develop critical thinking. We promote British values such as, mutual respect, tolerance, democracy, and the rule of law by fostering understanding and appreciation of diverse beliefs and cultures.
Further information
Key Stage 3
At KS3 the RS curriculum is deliberately planned to enable students to revisit key concepts to deepen understanding. Retrieval of relevant prior learning at the start of each lesson aims to embed these concepts to long term memory. Frequent low stakes testing is used to both measure and develop understanding. Our schemes of learning are based on the Devon and Torbay Agreed syllabus for RE.
Our Year 7 curriculum uses 6 units of work to build on the knowledge and understanding that students have gained from primary school. Each unit has a separate overview that includes further details of aims, learning objectives and justifications for sequencing.
Students have a copy of this in their exercise books, and it is referred to at the start of every lesson so that students can see where they are on their learning journey. Each lesson has a PowerPoint to facilitate an engaging and thought-provoking lesson.
Our Year 8 curriculum also has six units of work to build on the knowledge and understanding that students have gained from our Year 7 curriculum. Again, as in year 7, each unit has a separate overview that includes further details of aims, learning objectives and justifications for sequencing. In year 8 each lesson also has a PowerPoint to facilitate an engaging and thought-provoking lesson.
Our Year 9 curriculum includes four units of work to build on the knowledge and understanding that students have gained from our Year 7 & 8 curriculum. Each unit also has a separate overview that includes further details of aims, learning objectives and justifications for sequencing. Each lesson also has a PowerPoint to facilitate an engaging and thought-provoking lesson. In Year 9 we have planned units to develop the skills needed for Key Stage 4.
Key Stage 4
At KS4 the RS curriculum is deliberately planned to revisit key concepts to deepen understanding. Retrieval of relevant prior learning at the start of each lesson aims to embed these concepts to long term memory. Frequent low stakes testing is used to both measure and develop understanding. Our schemes of learning have been developed to build on the knowledge and understanding that students have gained from our key stage 3 curriculum and to encourage them to apply what they have learnt to contemporary moral issues. Each unit has a booklet and a separate overview that includes further details of aims, learning objectives and justifications for sequencing.
Subject vocabulary is explicitly taught and modelled by teachers. Students are expected to use technical language in both oral and written answers. Knowledge organisers contain vocabulary lists and are highlighted on all PowerPoints. The learning of vocabulary is a routine part of RS in KS4.
Cultural Capital
By broadening knowledge, fostering respect and empathy, developing critical thinking and communication skills, and promoting personal growth and global awareness, Religious Studies significantly enhances students' cultural capital, equipping them for success in an interconnected world.
Curriculum Plans
Religious Studies Y7 Curriculum Plan
Religious Studies Y8 Curriculum Plan
Religious Studies Y9 Curriculum Plan
Religious Studies Y10 Curriculum Plan
Religious Studies Y11 Curriculum Plan
Curriculum time allocation
SEND Learner Experience in Religious Studies
Planning
When planning lessons, we use all SEND information documents available; Individual Learning Plans, EHCP documents and reading age scores to ensure a sound knowledge of individuals' needs and that appropriate resources are used to support learning. The seating plan is carefully organised and a class plan is completed for every class.
Work scrutiny is used to prioritise students with SEND and assess how effectively progress is being made. If not, we make reasonable adjustments to their experience based on the information we hold and liaise with the SENDCo where appropriate.
When planning our schemes of work, we ensure that we create a curriculum in which there is a clear revisiting of topics, subjects or themes throughout the course. This ensures a deepening of skills and knowledge, with each successive encounter building on the previous one.
- Retrievals used to reinforce learning
- Clear learning journey with ‘know it, link it, say it’
- Explicit teaching of vocabulary
- Explicit modelling using guided practice
- Time for deliberate practice.
Before each lesson
SEND and Pupil Premium students are highlighted clearly on the class plans and are annotated to ensure helpful strategies are used to help our learners. These are regularly updated. These are used alongside our schemes of work to include appropriate support resources and activities.
Entry routine
We welcome the students into the classroom, using thresholding, ensuring all students feel recognised. We use routine and procedure to establish common expectations, e.g the retrieval task is always on the board or, where appropriate, printed out and on desks.
During teaching
We use the Tavistock College Charter to ensure consistency of experience, especially with the use of “321-STAR behaviour”
- Use of class plan
- Short marking of books first
- Scaffolding of tasks
- Use of key vocabulary lists.
- Teacher circulating to check work
- Modelling good practice
- Targeted questioning/Cold calling/no opt out
After each lesson
We use the evidence seen in student books to inform our planning of the next lesson.
After each assessment
We use the evidence seen in student work to inform our planning of the next lesson. We have a reteach lesson where misconceptions and common errors are clarified and explained.
Data analysis includes a focus on SEND students.
Reading and literacy in Religious Studies
Subject contact
Julia Tosdevin