Curriculum Overview

 

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Sixth Form

Term 1: Christian Denominations

In this unit students will explore the origins Christian denominations and their main beliefs and concepts. Students will also examine how members of different denominations lives and beliefs are dis/similar to their own, particularly noting food, dress, festivals and worship.

Knowledge test on topics covered.

Theory
A supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained.

Moral
Standards of behaviour; principles of right and wrong.

Religion
The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.

Faith
Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

Christian
A person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Christianity.

Catholic
A member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Denomination
A recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church.

Protestant
A member or follower of any of the Western Christian Churches that are separate from the Roman Catholic Church in accordance with the principles of the Reformation, including the Baptist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran Churches.

Orthodox
Following or conforming to the traditional or generally accepted rules or beliefs of a religion, philosophy, or practice.

Anglican
Used to describe the people, institutions and churches, as well as the liturgical traditions and theological concepts developed by the Church of England.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how their beliefs are similar or different to the minority faiths they research.

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 2: Hinduism

In this unit students will explore the origins of Hinduism, said to be older than time. This will start their journey of learning about the Eastern religions through Year 8. Students will examine the Hindu concepts of the Trimurti, worship and Ahimsa. They will also look at the life and times of Gandhi.

Holistic assessment of pupils contribution in class and their classwork in their exercise books.

Trimurti
The Trimurti (meaning "three forms" of God), also known as the Hindu Trinity, is an iconographic representation of God in Hinduism, which depicts divinity as a three faced figure.

Shiva
The One who destroys and then rebuilds.The universe goes through a process of birth, growth, destruction and rebirth. Shiva destroys the universe for it to be reborn.

Brahman
The One who created the world

Vishnu
The One who protects people from all evil and wrongdoing. It is believed that he has visited the world nine times so far. On his tenth visit – the final visit – the world will come to an end.

Atman
True essence of life – Atman, the soul, is Brahman trapped in matter.

Reincarnation
The atman is continually born into this world lifetime after lifetime (Samsara)

Karma
Spiritual impurity due to actions keeps us bound to this world (good and bad)

Puja
Making offerings to and decorating the deity images

Prasad
Taking the divine within your own being through eating of food shared with the deity

Ahimsa
Ahimsa is a Sanskrit (an ancient Hindu language) word which means to live by ‘avoiding violence

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how their beliefs are similar or different to a Hindu's.

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 3: Buddhism

Students continue their journey through the exploration of Eastern religions with Buddhism, which has it's roots in Hinduism. Students will learn about the Buddha, the wheel of life, the four noble truths, the eight-fold path and the five precepts.

Students will be assessed on their knowledge of Buddhism through short and long answer questions. Students should revise all topics covered, paying close attention to key terms and concepts.

Mantra
A phrase chanted in worship or meditation

Mandala
A pattern created to represent spiritual reality

Annica
Impermanence, the instability of things

Sangha
The Buddhist community

Pansil
The five precepts or guidelines for Buddhist living

Samsara
The continual round of birth, death and rebirth

Dukkha
Suffering, which is the nature of human existence in the first Noble Truth

Bhikku
A Buddhist monk

Tipitaka
The three collections of sacred Buddhist books

Bhikkuni
A Buddhist nun

Bodhi tree
The tree which Siddhartha was sitting when he received enlightenment

Dhamma
The teachings of the Buddha

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how their beliefs are similar or different to a Buddhist's.

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 4: Sikhism

Students will complete their exploration of the Eastern religions with Sikhism, the youngest religion. Students will learn about the beliefs and practices of Sikhs, including; the 5 k's the Khalsa and the Gurdwara. Sikhism's core lies in equality, students will be asked to examine the ways in which equality, brotherhood and sacrifice are important in their own lives.

Holistic assessment of pupils contribution in class and their classwork in their exercise books.

Emblem
A thing serving as a symbol of a particular quality or concept.

Gurdwara
A Sikh place of worship.

Guru
A Hindu spiritual teacher.

Khalsa
The body or company of fully initiated Sikhs, to which devout orthodox Sikhs are ritually admitted at puberty. The Khalsa was founded in 1699 by the last Guru (Gobind Singh). Members show their allegiance by five signs (called the five Ks).

Monotheistic
The doctrine or belief that there is only one God.

Punjab
The Punjab also spelled Panjab, land of 'five rivers' is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of South Asia, comprising areas of eastern Pakistan and northern India

Waheguru
The most common usage of the word "Waheguru" is in the greeting Sikhs use with each other

Temple
A building devoted to the worship of a god or gods.

Sikhism
A monotheistic religion founded in Punjab in the 15th century by Guru Nanak.

Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak (1469-1539) was one of the greatest religious innovators of all time and the founder of the Sikh religion.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how their beliefs are similar or different to a Sikh's.

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 5: Christian Role Models

The unit will give the chance for students to learn about inspirational people from Christianity and compare them with role models from other faiths. Each lesson will focus on one role model, and will ask pupils to examine why this person is a role model and how their religion has inspired them.

Students will be assessed on their knowledge of one role model and will be expected to be able to explain why they are influential, and how the have influenced them personally.

Boycott
Withdraw from commercial or social relations with (a country, organization, or person) as a punishment or protest.

Civil
Relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from military or ecclesiastical matters

Influence
The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Segregation
The action or state of setting someone or something apart from others.

Seclusion
The state of being private and away from other people.

Prominent
Important; famous.

Confrontation
A hostile or argumentative situation or meeting between opposing parties.

Martin Luther King Jr
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how their beliefs are similar or different to the religious role models they learn about.

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 6: Religious Stories

In this cross curricular unit students will explore how stories are used in religion. Symbolism in the stories will be examined as will the historical and religious context of each of the stories studied. Students will have an opportunity to produce their own versions of the stories, using the knowledge that they have gained throughout.

Students will be assessed in their end of year exam. All topics covered throughout the year will be on the exam, and questions will be a mix of short and long answers. Pupils should revise all topics, paying particular attention to key words.

Symbolism
The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Suffering
The state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship.

Artistic
Having or revealing natural creative skill.

Interpretation
An explanation or way of explaining.

Impression
An idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without conscious thought or on the basis of little evidence.

Abstract
Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.

Medium
A means of doing something.

Collaboration
Working together.

Representation
The description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how their beliefs are similar or different to those presented in the religious stories.

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.