Who are we?

Mr Bennett MA (Hons)
Ms Dodd MA, M Ed
Ms Davison MA
Ms Chruszczyk MA
Ms Begum
Mr Downs MHum (hons)

What are our aims?

At Raine’s, RS is a compulsory subject in all years, in accordance with national guidelines. In addition to this, we believe that a balanced and thoughtful delivery of religious education is essential to the development of every child going through school. It provides a unique opportunity for students to be inspired, to deepen their understanding of their own faith, or to develop important skills in tolerance, respect and understanding. .

What we do in KS3

Yr 7 Pupils embark on a journey of discovering what facets make up 'Religion' and compare and contrast religious people/buildings/rituals and teachings in their locality and in the wider global community. Year 8 Pupils are introduced to the life and times of Jesus.
Year 9 Pupils study Rites of passage in the six major world religions Pupils discover methods of Worship from a comparative perspective. Famous characters that have had an impact on society and religion are chosen for in depth study.

What we do in KS4

Year 10 Pupils are encouraged to realise their potential either through studying GCSE short course or full course. We have chosen to adopt a modular route at GCSE. Module 1 focuses on Religion and life based on the study of Christianity and at least one other religion. Module 2 consists of an in depth study of Christianity. Year 11 pupils who are entered for the Full course conduct a study of Christianity, its beliefs and practices. This includes:

What we do in KS5

In the first year (AS) two topics are studied from a total of eleven available. These topics include areas that are exciting and diverse such as ethics, philosophy, religion and art, religion and contemporary society, aspects of Christianity and the world’s religions.
The second (A2) year of Religious Studies enables students to study in greater depth aspects of one or more religions, including textual, theological, ethical, phenomenological and philosophical perspectives. As in year one you can choose two subjects from an exciting range of topics for study.

How do we do it?

We follow the AQA syllabus at Raine's Foundation School for AS and A2 level. At GSCE level we follow the Edexcel A syllaus- a study based on Christianity and one other religion (Islam). At Key Stage 3 we follow the locally agreed SACRE non statutory syllabus, in accordance to our status as a Church of Englan School.
At KS3 students enjoy trips to local sites of religious interest, such as the Buddhist temple, the Neasden mandir, and local churches.
At KS 4 students visit St Paul's Cathedral as part of their investigation of places of Christian worship. A four day visit to a place of religious pilgrimage is planned, such as Lourdes, Canterbury or Rome for A level students, as part of a study of religious experience.

How is my work assessed?

Classwork and progress are assessed in two ways:
1. Summatively- this means that your units will be assessed according to the AQA criteria, and marked against national standards. These assessments will also be accompanied by homework essays, which will be marked in the same way. Note that the Philosophy course is entirely examined- there is no coursework. Internal assessments will be purely to help the students, teachers and parents to understand how well the students are doing.
2. Formatively. Students will be given detailed analysis of where they need to improve and what they need to do in order to raise their standards.

What skills will I develop?

You will develop the skills of investigation, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, communication and debate.
This course encourages students to:

Will this course suit me?

Religious Studies is an inclusive subject, designed for people of any faith... and people who have no faith. It is not necessary to have taken Religious Studies at GCSE, although students who have a GCSE will find that the AS/A Level builds on their knowledge, understanding and skills. All that is required is a desire to find out more about religion and its role in society. Religious Studies is one of the fastest growing subjects. This is partly because it is compatible with, and has a similar skills base to, subjects such as English, History, Sociology, Philosophy and Government and Politics. It is also a good partner course for not only the subjects mentioned, but also for Archaeology, Classical Civilisation and History of Art.

Where can it lead?

The skills that you will learn in Religious Studies will be useful to you in any number of careers; teaching, youth work, journalism, civil service or government to name a few. If you’re thinking of a career in law or medicine then a Religious Studies A Level is looked upon favourably for undergraduate courses too.

How can I find out more?

www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/religious_studies
www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse09/rs

Mr Bennett teaching RS Trip to the Swaminarayan Mandir