Religious Studies

Head of Department: Molly Robson

Members of Department:

  • Wahida Begum – KS5 Co -Ordinator
  • Gloria Good – CPSHE Lead
  • Fahzia Mannan – KS3 Co-ordinator
  • Samira Hussein

Religious Studies at Morpeth is taught by a team of passionate and committed subject specialists.

The subject gives students an opportunity to debate, discuss and explore big questions of religion, identity and belief.

Key Stage 3

The course that our Year 7 and 8 students follow is designed to be fun, engaging and inclusive, introducing the students to a broad range of religious and philosophical ideas, traditions and beliefs. We study all the major world religions, as well as non-religious perspectives.

Trips include a visit to a Church and Mosque. Each year we run a visit to a local Synagogue and have an interfaith workshop about Judaism and Islam.

 

Year 7

Year 8

Term 1

What does it mean to be Jewish?

Can Muslims listen to Music?

Term 2

How did Sikhism begin?

Who was Jesus?

Term 3

How do Buddhists explain suffering?

What happens when we die?

 

Key Stage 4

In Year 9 and Year 10 all students at Morpeth study AQA GCSE Religious Studies.

The course focuses on Christian and Muslim teachings and their responses to a range of ethical and moral issues, ranging from crime and punishment to life after death. 

Students have one lesson a week.

 

Year 9

Year 10

Term 1

Muslim Beliefs
Existence of God and Revelation

Crime and Punishment
Christian Practices

Term 2

Christian Beliefs
Marriage and Family

Religion, Peace and Conflict
Revision

Term 3

Muslim Practices

Exams

Key Stage 5

We offer an A Level in Religious Studies, focusing on Islam, Philosophy and Ethics.

The OCR course studies philosophical arguments surrounding the existence of God and the nature of faith and belief.

We also look at key ethical theories and apply them to dilemmas and areas of life.  In addition to this, the course looks at the core beliefs and practices of Islam.

We organise regular trips to Philosophy and Theology university departments, and organise a range of guest speakers, visits and trips to further students’ engagement with the course.

 

Teacher 1 – Ethics and Islam

Teacher 2- Philosophy and Islam

Year 12

Term 1

Natural Law and Situation Ethics

 

Ancient Philosophical Influences

Soul mind and body

 

Applied Ethics: Euthanasia

Utilitarianism

Arguments for the existence of God

Term 2

Normative Ethical Theories

Kantian Ethics

Religious Experience

 

 

Islam: Prophesy and Revelation

Islam: Tradition: Hadith & Sira

Islam: philosophical debates on God, Free Will and determinism and the afterlife

Term 3

UCAS EXAMS

UCAS EXAMS

 

Islam: Sunni and Shia

Islam: Shariah

Islam: Sufism

 

Islam: Gender Equality

 

Islam: Science and Philosophy

Year 13

Term 1

Business ethics and sexual ethics

The problem of evil

The nature or attributes of God

MOCK EXAMs

MOCK EXAMs

 

Meta-ethics

Conscience- Aquinas

 Religious Language

Term 2

Islam: Tolerance

Islam: Islam and the State

 

Islam: Justice and liberation

Revise

Islam and Europe

Revise

Term 3

EXAMS

3 x 2 hour exams (Philosophy, Ethics, Islam)

 

Extracurricular Opportunities in the Religious Studies Department

The Religious Studies department at Morpeth regularly organise trips which help students engage with issues of faith and belief beyond the classroom.

These have included trips to the London Buddhist Centre, the Jewish Museum and a visit to St Paul’s Cathedral. 

Students visit Brick Lane to explore the sights (and tastes!) of community cohesion in the East End.