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The content of the Religious Education programme of study is guided by the new Religious Education Directory (2023 for Catholic Schools). 

Religious education is the core of the curriculum and is an academic subject with the same systematic demands and rigour as other subjects studied at NBS. Religious Education lessons are given 10% of curriculum time for Key Stage 3 and 4 and it is compulsory for students in 6th form to be taught CORE RE for 1 hour per week. Other aspects of our curriculum include Liturgy, Holy Days and retreats.

The curriculum in Religious Education is broad and balanced and students are challenged and encouraged to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the subject. The foundation of the subject is continually built upon as students progress through the Key Stages.

Key Stage 3

Students are taught in their mixed ability form groups and are formally assessed twice a term. Students are tested on the three main skills: knowledge, understanding and evaluation. 

In year 7-9  students study the following units, as outlined by the Religious Education Directory, each year they will build on their knowledge and understanding by adding another layer:

  1. Creation and Covenant – In this unit students are encouraged to explore the meaning and purpose of life as well as the role of God in creation and their lives today. Students will reflect on their role as stewards of creation, how they treat others and their impact in the world.
  2. Prophecy and Promise – In this unit students will study the Bible and its role and impact on the lives of Christians. As the Bible is the word of God students will understand that the study of scripture is central to the life and practice of the Catholic faith.
  3. Galilee to Jerusalem – In this unit, students will examine, who Jesus is, the titles given to him and how Christians come to know God through Jesus.
  4. Desert to Garden – In this unit, students broaden their knowledge and understanding of the ‘Paschal Mystery’. They learn about the Sacraments, including the importance of the Mass. Students will also reflect on the ways in which Jesus is present in the lives of Christians today.
  5. To the Ends of the Earth – In this unit, students learn about the important role and impact of the Holy Spirit in the world.
  6. Dialogue and Encounter – In this unit, students begin with a study of the history of the Church and some of the important ecumenical councils that were held. Following on from this, they will study a world religion.

Towards the end of Year 9 students will begin to study Judaism – beliefs and practices. This is in preparation for their RE GCSE.

Key Stage 4

GCSE Religious Studies

Awarding Body: AQA

Subject Contact: Miss A Moloney

Course Outline

GCSE Religious Education at NBS is a core GCSE subject, studied by all students.

The strong focus on Catholicism and in-depth study of another religion allows NBS to fulfil the demands of the ‘Religious Education Directory’ (2023) issued by the Catholic Hierarchy of England and Wales and endorsed by the Diocese of Westminster. The course content does not presuppose faith. It aims to strengthen an understanding and faith for those who do believe, and to enable others to appreciate different reasons for religious belief according to the practice of Catholicism.

Students will be investigating different aspects of 2 different Religions, our first will be the origins of Roman

Catholic Christianity and what it means to be Catholic today. Looking at the religion through the lens of:

  • Beliefs and Teachings
  • Practices
  • Sources of Wisdom and Authority
  • Forms of Expression and Ways of Life

We also investigate Judaism and we will be looking in to the origins of Judaism, it’s relation to other religions and what it means to be Jewish today. We will be learning this through the lens of:

  • Beliefs and Teachings: the nature of the Almighty, the purpose of Messiah, the Covenants with Moses and Abraham.
  • Practices based on The Tenakh, Talmud and Torah, the Synagogue and Jewish worship and festivals.

The Ethical themes allow us to address both Philosophical and Ethical issues that are relevant in today’s society. These issues include:

  • Religion, Peace and Conflict, Human Rights and Social Justice
  • Wealth and Poverty
  • The work of CAFOD and Christian Aid
  • Prejudice and Discrimination

The course enables learners to:

  • Acquire knowledge and develop an understanding of the beliefs, values and traditions of Catholic Christianity
  • Consider the influence of these beliefs, values and traditions
  • Consider religious and other responses to moral issues
  • Identify, investigate and respond to fundamental questions of life raised by religion and human experience, including questions about the meaning and purpose of life
  • Challenge pupils to reflect on and develop their own values, beliefs and attitudes in the light of what they have learnt
  • Understand the influence of religion on individuals, communities and societies
  • Apply knowledge and understanding in order to analyse questions related to religious beliefs and practice

Assessment

You will be assessed 100% through final examination.

Three papers will be assessed:

  • Paper 1: Catholic Christianity through a specific focus on the teachings of the Church (50%) – 1hr 45 minutes examination
  • Paper 2: Judaism: Beliefs and Practices (25%) as recommended by the Diocese of Westminster* -50 minutes examination
  • Paper 3: Ethical themes: Religion, Peace and Conflict, Human Rights and Social Justice (25%) -50 minutes examination

All exams have a % of marks awarded specifically for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology. 

Career Progression

Religious Studies is important in a world where religion is becoming an increasing source of conflict and
tension. This GCSE will give you confidence in discussing different practices within religion and recognise the value and worth that religion has in the world. It also teaches empathy and helps to develop your skills in analysis, evaluation, religious literacy and communication.

Key Stage 5

A-Level Religious Studies

Course Content

The course of study involves the study of 3 equally weighted disciplines: Over two years, three topics will be studied.

  • The study of Philosophy involves identifying how the ideas of the great philosophers underpin the legal system, scientific method, reasoning and our understanding of knowledge, as well as how these ideas have shaped human history. You will consider 3000 years of wisdom and discussion that has focused on the big questions such as:  Why are we here?  Why do people do good if there is no source of goodness? If God is all-loving (omni-benevolent) why is there suffering in the world?

Philosophy content includes:

  • Religious language uses and purpose
  • The verification and falsification principles
  • The uses of symbol, analogy and myth to express human understanding of God
  • Religious experience
  • The concept of revelation
  • The attributes and nature of God
  • Life after death – the soul: death, resurrection and reincarnation
  • The views of various philosophers and theologians including St. Thomas Aquinas, Plato, Aristotle, J Hume, A J Ayer, A Flew, L Wittgenstein and P Tillich

 

  • The study of Ethics involves how Moral Philosophy can be used to guide the decision making of societies and individuals and seeks to establish answers to the following questions:

            Is right and wrong fixed or are they changeable and essentially made up by people?

              Is it acceptable to do something harmful to justify a good outcome?

Religion and Ethics content includes:

  • Meta-ethics – use of ethical language and how different scholars understand how words like good, bad, right and wrong are used in ethical statements
  • Virtue ethics – the concepts of the Eudaimonia and the Golden Mean
  • Applied ethics and ethical theories:
    • Natural law
    • Kantian ethics
    • Utilitarianism
    • Religious ethics
    • Environmental ethics – the Gaia Hypothesis
    • Gender and equality – rights
    • Sexual ethics – premarital, extramarital sex, contraception, homosexuality
    • The sanctity of life: abortion and euthanasia
    • The views of various philosophers and theologians including St. Thomas Aquinas. P Singer, P Vardy, J Fletcher, J S Mill, J Bentham

 

  • The Study of New Testament Studies allows students to gain an insight into the life death and resurrection of Jesus and His mission and purpose.

New Testament content includes:

  • Texts and interpretations of the New Testament, the Life of Jesus and His mission. 
  • Interpreting the text and its purpose
  • The Authorship of St. John’s Gospel 
  • How the 4th Gospel differs from the other three and is not considered to be Synoptic.

Learning Methods and Assessment

Pupils will learn through seminar, discussion and debate. They will hone skills for written discussion and analysis becoming strong essay writers. They will quickly develop the ability to produce an essay per week that demonstrates how effectively they engage with the content that they encounter. They will need to enjoy reading and be open to new ideas and ways of thinking. The subject is assessed at the end of Year 13 in three 2-hour written assessments.

  • Paper 1 – 33.33% Philosophy of Religion
  • Paper 2 – 33.33% Religion and Ethics
  • Paper 3 – 33.33% New Testament Studies

Expectations of Students

Students are expected to write essays on a weekly basis, and to supplement class material by reading relevant texts. Students should expect to complete six hours study per week beyond class time.

Careers Prospects

Religious Studies essentially teach a person how to think critically and imaginatively. The study of the subject areas nurtures the soft skills of creativity and wisdom as well as the hard skills of research, an ability to form written discussion, argument, analysis and evaluation. A level RS is valued by Russell Group Universities and opens up a wide range of options for both further study and future careers. It is relevant to the fields of Politics, Journalism, Medicine, Business, Law, Scientific Research as well as academia and Teaching.

For more information please contact Miss A Moloney (Head of Subject)

Awarding Body: Edexcel

Entry Requirements:  Grade 5 or above in RE at GCSE level

Sixth Form Core RE

Core RE at NBS helps to make a significant contribution to our students' personal development. It also plays a key role in promoting social cohesion and makes specific reference to the Catholic Social Teachings, which are imperative in our diverse community. 


This is a two-year course covering religious, philosophical and moral concepts.  They are taught on a half termly carousal and students study a variety of various topics where there is much discussion and debate. There is great opportunity for them to do their own personal research tasks and then present power-point presentations to the whole class based on issues surrounding the problem of evil and suffering, relationships and world religions.