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What do we study in RE at Ridgeway?
Why do we study Religious Education at Ridgeway?
High quality Religious Education makes a positive contribution to the learning of students and contributes directly to Ridgeway 360. At Ridgeway, we believe that, by exploring the beliefs, teachings and practices within the world’s religions, students will understand how to think beyond themselves and respectfully engage with contemporary contentious issues, whilst developing social, cultural, political, philosophical and historical awareness. By gaining a systematic knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and worldviews, students will learn to develop their beliefs, values and experiences, whilst considering the viewpoints of others. One of the primary aims of the Religious Education at Ridgeway is to challenge any preconceived views of Religious Education that students may have by making topics and themes linked to religion as real and as relevant as possible.
Religious Education contributes dynamically to children and young people’s education by provoking challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. The Religious Education curriculum has been specifically designed to enable students to fully appreciate how diverse and multicultural the UK and World is. Specific units of work and themes across Key Stage 3 and 4 have been chosen so that students gain an overview and understanding of all the major world religions, including Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Christianity. At KS4, we also controversial topics to help not only understand their understanding of religious issues but help develop their critical thinking skills. All students are taught elements of Philosophy, Theology and Ethics in Years 9, 10 and 11.
Homework expectations
Homework is an important aspect of the RE curriculum. Not only does it offer the opportunity for students to consolidate their learning within lessons, it also offers a chance for them to enhance their understanding of key topics found within the curriculum. At Key Stage 3, students are expected to complete one piece of homework every three weeks and spend between 20-30 minutes on this piece. At Key Stage 4, students are expected to complete one piece of homework every two weeks and spend at least 30 minutes on it.
How can parents and guardians support at home?
As well as monitoring homework and supporting independent reading and research, there are a range of ways in which parents and guardians can help to support their child with developing their RE skills.
Extra-curricular opportunities
We pride ourselves on providing a range of excellent opportunities outside of the classroom. As well as helping to consolidate students’ understanding of the themes studied, these experiences help to develop an interest and true appreciation in what our subject has to offer. An example of these extra-curricular activities would be one of our trips to a place of worship where we get to witness how religions are celebrated. These are vital for students to understand that what we study is lived and not just stories kept within the pages of a textbook.