Religious Education
Meet the Department
- Mrs Mead – Subject Leader of RE
- Miss Henry – Second in Department
- Ms Vanvuchelen – Teacher of RE (Key Stage 4 Co-ordinator)
- Mrs Bligh – Teacher of RE & Vice Principal
- Miss Walford – Teacher of RE
- Miss Doyle – Teacher of RE & Lay Chaplain
- Mrs Di Mascio – Teaching Assistant for RE
Welcome to the RE Department. Religious Education is a core subject at St Richard’s with every pupil completing a full GCSE in KS4. We see RE as the core of the whole curriculum as it integrates and informs all other knowledge.
Every class member is highly valued and encouraged to be involved in all activities, both academic and spiritual. We go beyond the pupil’s academic potential by encouraging and supporting them in their spirituality and their faith journey. We strive to give all pupils an experience of a living, worshipping community in which they encounter the person of Jesus.
Academically, pupils receive an excellent grounding in Roman Catholicism as well as an in-depth analysis of other major world religions. We aim to cater for each pupil’s individual needs by using a variety of teaching styles; our lessons are interactive, experiential and creative and we encourage debate and discussion. Pupils are encouraged to think and challenge their own and others’ ideas in a respectful and mature way.
As a subject that promotes critical thinking and the ability to develop and evaluate different arguments, RE is a subject that prepares pupils for a number of careers including law, politics, academia and global development. Some other careers include: administrator, advice worker, counsellor, healthcare (doctor, nurse), housing adviser, journalist, librarian, Minister of Religion, social worker, teacher and community worker.
Exam Success
There is a strong culture of academic success in the RE department. Pupils perform exceptionally well in RE. We expect RE to be a pupil’s highest performing subject.
| 2022 | 4+ = 89% | 5+ = 81% | 7+ = 56% |
| 2021 | 4+ = 91% | 5+ = 77% | 7+ = 41% |
| 2020 | 4+ = 93% | 5+ = 78% | 7+ = 41% |
| 2019 | 4+ = 88% | 5+ = 74% | 7+ = 39% |
| 2018 | 4+ = 90% | 5+ = 82% | 7+ = 48 % |
| 2017 | C+ = 91% | B+ = 81% | A+ = 46% |
| 2016 | C+ = 93% | B+ = 82% | A+ = 58% |
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
Pupils are taught in mixed ability groups in Years 7-9. In Years 7 and 9, pupils have two 50 minute lessons a week. In year 8 pupils have three 50 minute lessons a week.
Course Outline
At Key Stage 3, pupils are taught a curriculum based on the Religious Education Curriculum Directory from the Bishop’s Conference for England and Wales.
In Year 7, pupils study six units, each taking a term to cover. These are:
- Creation and Covenant
- Prophecy and Promise
- From Galilee to Jerusalem
- From Desert to Garden
- To the Ends of the Earth
- Dialogue and Encounter
In Year 8, pupils study six units, each taking a term to cover. These are:
- Judaism
- Church History
- Philosophy
- God is Calling You
- God’s Revelation
- Hinduism
In Year 9, pupils study six units, each taking a term to cover. These are:
- Mark’s Gospel
- Social Justice
- Forms of Expression
- Sources of Authority
- Islam
- Confirmation
In year 9 pupils will complete a mission throughout the year. This is an opportunity to develop their faith and have time for spiritual reflection. There will be workshops throughout the year run by Fr Simon and Fr Tristan as well as the RE department. The mission will lead to the mission block day in the summer term.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum
In Key Stage 4 pupils follow the Edexcel Specification A. They complete 8 topics which include:
Catholic Paper
- Catholic Beliefs
- Catholic Practices
- Sources of Authority
- Forms of Expression
Muslim Paper
- Muslim Beliefs
- Muslim Practices
Philosophy and Ethics Paper
- Arguments for God’s Existence
- Relationships in the 21st Century
The GCSE exams for the Summer 2023 are yet to be announced by Edexcel.
Assessment in RE
In KS3 and KS4 pupils complete assessed tasks and an end of unit test each term. The test questions are based on knowledge, understanding and evaluation. The assessed tasks are based on evaluation where they have to argue for and against a statement. When pupils get their assessed task and test back pupils purple pen their work.
Extra-Curricular Activities
The department runs a variety of activities including a series of World Religions trips. These include visits to a synagogue, mosque, gurdwara and mandir. We also enjoy excellent links with the Buddhist Centre in Bexhill and the local Islamic community. On Monday lunchtime there is a key stage 3 Philosophy club.
