RELIGIOUS STUDIES (including Global Eye)
Years 3 – 6 follow the Religious Studies syllabus while pupils in Years 7 and 8 follow the Global Eye syllabus which combines a more detailed examination of the major world religions with some of the current contemporary issues dealt with in PSHE together with time being set aside to look at current affairs and politics.
AIMS
During the time a pupil is in the prep department we aim to:-
- Assist pupils in their knowledge and understanding of some of the main themes of the Bible.
- Encourage them to explore how the selected passages relate to their own experience as well as to the contemporary issues of the wider world.
- Investigate the key beliefs and teachings of the major religions of the world.
- Respond to the teachings and experiences of inspirational people and look at a range of contemporary moral issues by relating to their own and others’ lives.
ATTITUDES TO BE FOSTERED IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Attitudes such as respect, care and concern should be promoted through all areas of school life, but there are some attitudes that are fundamental to this subject in that they are prerequisites for entering fully into the study of religions and learning from that experience.
It is to be hoped that we can help to foster:-
- Fairness – this includes listening to the views of others with an open mind, considering them carefully, willingness to consider evidence and argument and readiness to look beyond surface impressions
- Respect – this includes respecting those with different views and customs from our own, recognizing the rights of others to hold their own views, avoidance of ridicule and appreciation that people’s own religious convictions are often deeply felt
- Self–Understanding - this includes developing a mature sense of self-worth and value and developing the capacity to discern the personal relevance of religious questions.
- Enquiry – this includes curiosity and a desire to seek after truth, developing an awareness of bias, prejudice, ambiguities and paradox and willingness to consider insight and imagination as ways of perceiving reality.
- Commitment – this includes understanding the importance of commitment to a set of values by which to live, willingness to develop values and commitments and the ability to be challenged.
SCHEME OF WORK
Year 3 - Creation, The Fall, Cain and Abel, Nativity Story; Abraham, modern figures of the faith; Jacob and Esau, Joseph
Year 4 - Moses, Nativity Story; David, Solomon; Ahab and Jezebel, Elijah, modern prophets
Year 5 - The Annunciations, John the Baptist, prophets; The Twelve, Miracles; notion of Messiah, Introduction to Buddhism
Year 6 - Parables, Introduction to Hinduism; recap on Genesis stories, jealousy and forgiveness, the last week of Jesus' life; Islam - key beliefs, a day in the life of a follower
Year 7 - the nature of belief, Judaism, discrimination, Martin Luther King, current affairs; healthy diet, rules and laws, the first Easter, current affairs; the nature of addiction, current affairs
Year 8 - drug awareness, current affairs; crime and punishment, the use of money, current affairs; the nature of god in various religions; Leavers’ programme which includes: talks by the local police laision officer, talks and follow up activities from the Childrens’ Fire and Burns Trust, a lecture on drug abuse from Narconnon, a First Aid Course, a Life Saving Course plus a week of challenge and self discovery at Outward Bound, Ullswater
Leavers’ programme which includes: talks by the local police laision officer, talks and follow up activities from the Childrens’ Fire and Burns Trust, a lecture of drug abuse from Narconnon, a First Aid Course, a Life Saving Course plus a week of challenge and self discovery at Outward Bound, Ullswater