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Religious Education

Welcome to the Religious Studies curriculum page. At Hyde High School, Religious Studies is taught as a discrete subject within the Humanities department. As a proudly multicultural community where learning is at the heart of all we do, our curriculum offers a rich, broad and balanced experience that promotes academic excellence, personal development and respect for others. Students are supported to become well-rounded, thoughtful and responsible individuals who contribute positively to society.

KS3 Religious Education – Curriculum Overview

At Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9), students are introduced to major world religions and key philosophical and ethical issues. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to build knowledge over time and ensure students develop a strong foundation for GCSE Religious Studies.

Our intent is to provide a broad, ambitious and knowledge-rich curriculum that is inclusive for all learners and reflects the ethos of Hyde High School:

  • A curriculum that enables all students, including those with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds, to access powerful knowledge and achieve their full potential
  • Carefully planned content that builds knowledge over time and develops strong literacy and subject vocabulary
  • Opportunities to explore diversity, equality and respect in a multicultural society
  • High expectations for all learners so that every student can thrive, feel valued and experience success

We implement our curriculum through:

  • A well-sequenced curriculum that identifies the key knowledge and vocabulary students must learn
  • High-quality teaching from staff with strong subject knowledge
  • Explicit modelling of disciplinary skills such as explanation, comparison and evaluation
  • Adaptive teaching which removes barriers and ensures full access for SEND and disadvantaged learners
  • Regular retrieval practice and formative assessment to embed long-term learning
  • A classroom culture rooted in being Ready, Respectful and Safe

As a result, students:

  • Build secure knowledge and understanding of a range of religions
  • Demonstrate respect, tolerance and empathy within a diverse community
  • Make strong progress from their starting points, including vulnerable and disadvantaged groups
  • Are well-prepared for the academic and social demands of Key Stage 4

Year 7

Students explore both Abrahamic and Dharmic traditions, developing an understanding of beliefs, teachings, and practices.

  • Judaism
    • Beliefs about God and covenant
    • Key figures such as Abraham and Moses
    • Religious practices and festivals
  • Christianity
    • Core beliefs about God and Jesus
    • Key teachings such as love and forgiveness
    • Worship and traditions
  • Hinduism
    • Concepts such as dharma, karma and samsara
    • The nature of Brahman and the Trimurti
    • Worship and festivals

Students begin to compare religions and understand how beliefs influence daily life.

Year 8

Students broaden their understanding by studying additional world religions:

  • Islam
    • Beliefs such as Tawhid and prophethood
    • The Five Pillars and key practices
    • Importance of the Qur’an
  • Buddhism
    • The life of the Buddha
    • The Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path
    • Ideas about suffering and enlightenment
  • Sikhism
    • Belief in one God and equality
    • The teachings of the Gurus
    • Practices such as seva and worship

Students deepen their understanding of diversity within religions and develop their ability to compare different beliefs and practices.

Year 9

Students move towards a more thematic and analytical approach, preparing for GCSE study.

  • Topic 1: Religion, Crime and Punishment
    • Justice, law and morality
    • Causes of crime
    • Punishment, forgiveness and reform
  • Topic 2: Medical Ethics
    • Issues such as abortion and euthanasia
    • The value of life
    • Religious and non-religious viewpoints

Students develop their ability to evaluate arguments and apply religious teachings to contemporary ethical issues.

Useful Links

KS4 Religious Education – Curriculum Overview

At Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11), students follow the AQA GCSE Religious Studies Specification A. This course enables students to explore beliefs, teachings, and practices of two major world religions alongside thematic ethical studies.

Our Key Stage 4 curriculum is designed to:

  • Provide a rigorous and ambitious GCSE course that reflects high expectations for all learners
  • Ensure students, including those with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds, achieve well and are supported to overcome barriers
  • Develop deep knowledge of Christianity and Islam alongside ethical understanding
  • Prepare students for further education, employment and life in modern Britain

We deliver the curriculum through:

  • A clearly structured and sequenced programme aligned to AQA Specification A
  • Explicit teaching of knowledge, vocabulary and exam technique
  • Targeted support and adaptive teaching to ensure all students can access and succeed
  • Regular assessment and feedback to identify gaps and inform teaching
  • A consistent focus on high expectations, engagement and respectful learning behaviours

Students:

  • Achieve positive GCSE outcomes and make progress from their starting points
  • Demonstrate confidence in analysing and evaluating ethical and religious issues
  • Develop as respectful, informed citizens who understand diversity
  • Are prepared for further study and to contribute positively to society

GCSE Religious Education

Students study two components:

1. Study of Religions

Students gain in-depth knowledge of:

  • Christianity
    • Beliefs (e.g. God, creation, incarnation, salvation)
    • Teachings (e.g. love, forgiveness, justice)
    • Practices (e.g. worship, prayer, sacraments)
  • Islam
    • Beliefs (e.g. Tawhid, prophets, angels, life after death)
    • Teachings (e.g. the Five Pillars, authority of the Qur’an)
    • Practices (e.g. prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage)

2. Thematic Studies

Students explore ethical and philosophical issues through the following AQA themes:

  • Theme B: Religion and Life – creation, the environment and the value of life
  • Theme D: Religion, Peace and Conflict – war, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation
  • Theme E: Religion, Crime and Punishment – justice, law, punishment and forgiveness
  • Theme F: Religion, Human Rights and Social Justice – equality, prejudice and wealth

Useful Links

How We Support All Learners

At Hyde High School, we are committed to ensuring that all learners succeed in Religious Studies:

  • Carefully scaffolded lessons that break learning into manageable steps
  • Use of targeted questioning and modelling to support understanding
  • Dual coding, visual supports and structured writing frames
  • Pre-teaching and reinforcement of key vocabulary
  • Adaptive teaching strategies to meet the needs of SEND and disadvantaged students
  • Regular feedback and intervention to close gaps in learning

Our approach ensures that barriers are removed and all students can access and succeed in the curriculum.

Key Vocabulary Progression (Tier 3 Language)

Students develop subject-specific vocabulary across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4

Examples:

  • Year 7: belief, covenant, monotheism, polytheism, incarnation, dharma, karma
  • Year 8: Tawhid, prophethood, enlightenment, seva, equality, suffering
  • Year 9: justice, morality, punishment, ethics, sanctity of life
  • Key Stage 4: salvation, omnipotence, authority, peace and conflict, human rights, social justice

Students are explicitly taught to use vocabulary accurately in written and verbal responses, supporting literacy and exam success.

Skills Progression Ladder

Our curriculum develops key disciplinary skills over time:

Describe

Identify and describe religious beliefs, practices and key features

Explain

Explain religious beliefs and practices using reasons and examples

Analyse

Analyse different viewpoints and begin to consider the impact of beliefs

Evaluate

Evaluate arguments, weigh evidence and construct well-reasoned, justified conclusions

This progression ensures students are fully prepared for the demands of GCSE Religious Studies and beyond.

Careers and Future Pathways

Religious Studies supports a wide range of future pathways, including:

  • Law
  • Education
  • Social work
  • Journalism
  • Public services
  • Healthcare

The subject develops transferable skills such as communication, empathy, and analytical thinking that are valuable in many careers.

British Values

Religious Studies actively promotes the core British Values that underpin life at Hyde High School:

  • Tolerance and mutual respect – understanding and valuing different religions and beliefs
  • Rule of law – explored through justice, morality and crime and punishment
  • Individual liberty – developing confidence to express informed personal views
  • Democracy – engaging in discussion, debate and respectful disagreement

Religious Education Teachers

Teachers

Mrs K Bevan
Head of Humanities

Mrs A Elder
Head of RE

Miss S Mosley
Teacher of Humanities

Mr S Revesz
Teacher of Humanities

Mr H Finn
Teacher of Humanities

Mrs I Reeves
Teacher of Humanities

Mr P Thompson
Teacher of Humanities & Assistant Headteacher

Old Road, Hyde,
Cheshire, SK14 4SP
T: 0161 366 7533
E: [email protected]