Key Stage 4: Core Religious Studies

Curriculum Intent

Students will be challenged with questions about belief, values, meaning, purpose and truth, enabling them to develop their own attitudes towards religious issues. The students will also gain an appreciation of how religion, philosophy and ethics form the basis of our culture. They will develop analytical and critical thinking skills, the ability to work with abstract ideas, leadership and research skills. Students will consider different beliefs and attitudes to religious and non-religious issues in contemporary British society.

The Religious Studies curriculum allows young people, growing up in a diverse society, to understand the views and opinions of people whose beliefs and values differ from their own. It provides space for young people to reflect on their own ideas and develop their thoughts about questions of meaning and ethics. Religious Studies develops the students’ ability to express themselves, ready for the world of work and higher education. Aspirational career pathways that link well with this subject are lawyers, paramedics, nurses, teachers and social workers.

The main objective of the department is to provide varied and enriching lessons that effectively prepare our pupils for life in a culturally diverse and modern world. Our department promotes an interest in the study of other people’s beliefs and also promotes mutual respect, tolerance and understanding across different cultures and communities.

The Religious Studies curriculum at Murray Park endeavours to reflect the world around us. We ensure that students are able to consider other people’s views and respect that others may have different viewpoints to themselves. The main objective of Religious Studies at school is to provide varied and enriching lessons that effectively prepare our students for life in a culturally diverse modern world.

“The world respects us for our diversity and our openness and the way we respect every faith.” Barack Obama

Curriculum Overview

Our aims are:

• to help students appreciate and understand other people’s beliefs and viewpoints;
• to enable students to respect someone else’s viewpoint, even though it may differ from their own;
• to equip students with the skills needed for dealing with situations where they encounter differing viewpoints and challenges to their own thinking; and,
• to help students understand that everyone’s opinion matters.

The pupils study a range of topics including: