• To be able to explain what has influenced their identity and beliefs. 

• To develop a greater understanding, awareness, acceptance and tolerance of different religions and groups within the local community and wider society.  

• To develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. 

• To enable students to distinguish right from wrong. 

• To encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the local community and wider society. 

• To encourage students to acquire an appreciation for and respect for their own and other cultures. 

• To develop an awareness of British Values. 

We start by looking at what students understand about 'religion' and what a religion is. This develops into students considering their own views about religion and what contributes to their identity. Within this topic we look at relationships in their lives, what influences their decision making and whether religion has had any impact on their identity.  

We then look at how religion does have an impact on identity by looking at the six major world religions in more detail. We have included Humanism as a non-religious viewpoint. 

The Community Cohesion unit focuses on raising awareness of regional communities as well as British Society in general. It also encourages students to celebrate diversity and build tolerance and understanding. 

• To be able to explain what has influenced their identity and beliefs. 

• To develop a greater understanding, awareness, acceptance and tolerance of different religions and groups within the local community and wider society.  

• To develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. 

• To enable students to distinguish right from wrong. 

• To encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the local community and wider society. 

• To encourage students to acquire an appreciation for and respect for their own and other cultures. 

Community Cohesion focuses on raising awareness of regional communities as well as British Society in general. It also encourages students to celebrate diversity and build tolerance and understanding. 

Students consider their own views on where the universe and life came from. We discuss religious & non-religious viewpoints. 

All ARRK topics are a statutory requirement under the new RSE framework (September 2020). 

Please see the Relationships & Sex Education framework document: 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/908013/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf 

• To develop knowledge and understanding of religions (Christianity) and non-religious beliefs (atheism & humanism), teachings & sources of wisdom and authority and demonstrate this knowledge.  

•  To develop the ability to construct well-argued, well-informed, balanced and structured written arguments, demonstrating their depth and breadth of understanding of a range of topics and apply knowledge and understanding in order to analyse questions related to religious beliefs and values. 

• To engage with questions of belief, value, meaning, purpose, truth, and their influence on human life and reflect on and develop their own values, beliefs & attitudes in the light of what they have learnt & will contribute to their preparation for adult life in a pluralistic society and global community. 

• To understand the influence of religion on individuals, communities and societies. 

• To understand significant common and divergent views between and/or within religions & beliefs. 

In Year 10, students build on the knowledge gained throughout Year 9 to investigate issues relating to Christianity. 

Paper 2 focuses on Islam. We have found that a large number of students have very little awareness (other than at KS3 and incorrect media informed knowledge) of Islam. By including an introduction to the religion, we hope it will allow students to gain an overview of the religion as a whole, before moving on to look at more societal issues from an Islamic perspective/response.  

•  To develop knowledge and understanding of religions (Christianity & Islam) and non-religious beliefs (atheism & humanism), teachings & sources of wisdom and authority and demonstrate this knowledge.  

• To develop the ability to construct well-argued, well-informed, balanced and structured written arguments, demonstrating their depth and breadth of understanding of a range of topics and apply knowledge and understanding in order to analyse questions related to religious beliefs and values. 

• To engage with questions of belief, value, meaning, purpose, truth, and their influence on human life and reflect on and develop their own values, beliefs & attitudes in the light of what they have learnt & will contribute to their preparation for adult life in a pluralistic society and global community. 

• To understand the influence of religion on individuals, communities and societies. 

• To understand significant common and divergent views between and/or within religions & beliefs. 

• To develop knowledge and understanding of religions (Islam) and non-religious beliefs (atheism & humanism), teachings & sources of wisdom and authority and demonstrate this knowledge.  

• To develop the ability to construct well-argued, well-informed, balanced and structured written arguments, demonstrating their depth and breadth of understanding of a range of topics and apply knowledge and understanding in order to analyse questions related to religious beliefs and values. 

• To engage with questions of belief, value, meaning, purpose, truth, and their influence on human life and reflect on and develop their own values, beliefs & attitudes in the light of what they have learnt & will contribute to their preparation for adult life in a pluralistic society and global community. 

• To understand the influence of religion on individuals, communities and societies. 

• To understand significant common and divergent views between and/or within religions & beliefs. 

As students are taught by 2 different teachers the course has been split into 1x1 (P) and 1x2(NT&E) units to be delivered by staff on an even division of timetabled lessons.  

Students will: 

• Develop their interest in a rigorous study of religion and belief, and relate this to the wider world. 

• Develop knowledge and understanding appropriate to a specialist study of religion. 

• Develop an understanding and appreciation of religious thought and its contribution to individuals, communities and societies. 

• Adopt an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the study of religion. 

• Reflect on and develop their own values, opinions and attitudes in light of their studies. 

New Testament (theology) and Ethics  

Students in previous years have advised that they consider NT a more challenging unit and therefore this is studied before E (paper 2) as it gives them longer to revise and revisit topics or for us to work slower through the content if needed.  

T content must be worked through as per exam board recommendation in order for students to access latter parts of the Unit  

The E content, as scheduled by the exam board, has strong links with GCSE and general knowledge as well as links to science and geography, so are less challenging in terms of content and therefore can be easily extended or shortened if NT takes shorter/longer to work through. 

As students are taught by 2 different teachers the course has been split into 1x1 (P) and 1x2(NT&E) units to be delivered by staff on an even division of timetabled lessons (currently 2 hours each).  

Students will: 

• Develop their interest in a rigorous study of religion and belief, and relate this to the wider world. 

• Develop knowledge and understanding appropriate to a specialist study of religion. 

• Develop an understanding and appreciation of religious thought and its contribution to individuals, communities and societies. 

• Adopt an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the study of religion. 

• Reflect on and develop their own values, opinions and attitudes in light of their studies. 

New Testament (theology) and Ethics  

Students in previous years have advised that they consider NT a more challenging unit and therefore this is studied before E (paper 2) as it gives them longer to revise and revisit topics or for us to work slower through the content if needed.  

The NT Anthology is also the largest in the whole A Level RS exam and therefore this allows time to work through and process the texts.  

NT has to be worked through based on the exam board SOW, to allow students to build enough theological knowledge to access the later content.   

The latter part of E content, as scheduled by the exam board, as at Yr12, has strong links with GCSE and general knowledge as well as links to science and geography, so are less challenging in terms of content and therefore can be easily extended or shortened if NT takes shorter/longer to work through. The earlier part of the course is more challenging and therefore as per exam board guidance started first.