King Edward Aston’s Religious Studies department aims to create thoughtful, critical and understanding learners, a department where students can explore a range of religions, faith systems, social and philosophical issues and think creatively about important problems of religion and philosophy in the modern world. Students are taught how to write essays in a persuasive technical style, to use specific religious vocabulary, to consider the evolution of belief systems within and between religions, and apply their religious knowledge to specific social issues explored in lessons and homework.  

All students are supplied with a study pack for each module covered, which contains the sum total of their learning and makes for a fantastic classroom tool, homework help, and revision guide.  

The RS department seeks to give students a range of skills: 

• Critical and analytic thinking 
• Working as part of a team 
• Presentation and public speaking skills 
• Research and reporting skills 

 

Content:
Year 7 have RS once a week, and as such the curriculum is structured with a view to their long term RS education.  

In Year 7 students study the three ‘Abrahamic’ faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, in that historical order. For each religion they will learn the key ideas, denominational history and differences, and then apply what they have learnt to social issues relevant to the religion studied. This complements their religious education further up the school, where the same is covered in year 8 for the ‘Dharmic’ faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism, before moving onto a philosophy and ethics course in year 9, at which point they will choose their GCSE or core RS option to carry into KS4.  

 

The vision of the RS department at Aston is to provide students with an education in world faiths that leaves them as intelligent, articulate, understanding, compassionate and sensitive young men who are willing and able to critically engage with the belief systems and philosophies the world has to offer.