Overview of KS3 RE

At Wickersley Partnership Trust (Secondary) our RE curriculum is designed to allow students to understand a range of worldviews (both religious and non-religious) and develop the ability to articulate and justify their own ideas both verbally and in writing.  Across KS3 RE students develop both Knowledge and Understanding and Personal Opinion and Debate skills. Students have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the main beliefs and practices of Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Buddhism. They also have an opportunity to study religions by focusing on themes, such as the media and life after death.

YEAR 7

Autumn Term- Christianity

Within this topic students will engage with census data in relation to their local area to understand the concept of multi-faith societies.  Students will understand the characteristics Christians attribute to God and any challenges that could be raised against these.  Students will understand divergent Christian beliefs about the creation of the universe and evidence put forward to support scientific ideas about the creation of the universe (i.e. the Big Bang theory).  Students will consider the role and significance of the Bible as a source of authority for Christians today.  

Spring Term- Islam

Within this topic students will gain an understanding of the link between Christianity and Islam as Abrahamic religions.  Students will understand similarities and differences between Christian and Muslim views on the Prophet Jesus/Isa.  Students will also gain an understanding of key Islamic beliefs and how these influence the daily lives of Muslims,  for example The Five Pillars of Islam.  Students will also gain an understanding of difference within Islam by learning about divergent groups.  Finally, students will understand and consider the ethical implications of halal food laws and their similarity to kosher food laws within Judaism. 

Summer Term- Sikhism

Within this topic students will also gain an understanding of how Sikhism began as a religion, key Sikh beliefs and how these influence the daily lives of Sikhs,  for example the 5 Ks for Khalsa Sikhs.  Students will understand and consider the role of sewa (selfless service) within Sikhism.  Students will develop their personal opinion and debate skills by considering a range of debate questions linked to the topic of study.

Drop down day – Year 7 students will learn about the places of worship for two of the major world religions.

YEAR 8

Autumn Term- Buddhism

Within this topic students will gain an understanding of an atheistic religion – a religion with no god.  Students will understand key Buddhist beliefs, for example, karma and reincarnation and develop the ability to successfully articulate their own opinions on these beliefs and the evidence presented by Buddhists to support them.  Additionally, students will understand how Buddhist beliefs are shown within Buddhist practice for example, meditation.  Students will learn about divergent views within Buddhism for example how the life of a Buddhist monk/nun may differ from that of a Lay Buddhist.

Spring Term- Religion In The Media

Within this topic students will understand what the media is, different examples of the media and consider potential issues with using different media outlets as a source of information.  Students will then consider different religious themes/beliefs/events that have been portrayed within the media; throughout this topic students will be developing their personal opinion and debate skills by considering if in their opinion there should be freedom of the press or if some religious ideas should be censored within the media.

Summer Term- Life After Death

Within this topic students will understand a range of different beliefs about life after death and the evidence provided to support these beliefs.  Students will consider both religious and non-religious ideas that both support and reject belief in an afterlife.  Students will develop their personal opinion and debate skills whilst consider paranormal acitvitiy, Christian, Muslim and Humanist beliefs as part of this topic.

Drop down day – Year 8 students will learn about the places of worship for two of the major world religions.

YEAR 9

Across Year 9 students will engage with a variety of religious, philosophical and ethical ideas.  For instance, students will consider what is good/bad, what should be a source of authority to guide human behaviour, the ethics of using animals in sport, divergent religious beliefs about same-sex marriage, the purpose of punishemnt, if capital punishment is ever acceptable, the origins of human beings (scientific and religious ideas).  Across the course of the year students will be developing their  

Drop down day – Interfaith ideas on the ethical issue of climate change.