The Religious Studies department explores some of the deepest questions it is possible to ask. From the beginning of time people have asked about the meaning of life, about birth and death, about good and evil. The RS department encourages pupils to consider these and other deep questions and be aware of some of the answers that have emerged through the teaching of the world's great religions. The RS department also helps pupils explore the moral and social issues in the world in which they live.
Harvest Festival
In Morning Prayer on Monday 3rd October, we celebrated the Harvest Festival with a beautifully decorated altar and a visit from Major Sheila Duncanson of the Salvation Army. As we do every year, Queen Margaret’s donated a sum to the very worthwhile charity, and Major Duncanson was kind enough to come to speak to us about how important our input is to our local community. She thanked us for our gift, and explained to us the work that the Salvation Army carries out in York, telling one stirring story of a homeless young man whom they had helped to find a home and to regain some stability. It is so special that we are able to offer a tiny contribution to continue this great work going on, which makes a huge difference to the lives of people around us.
Report by Amber Boydell (Upper VI)
St. Margaret's Day
On Wednesday 17th of November, the whole School had a Eucharist service. It was in remembrance of St Margaret. She was recognized for her personal holiness, fidelity to the Church, work for religious reform, and charity. She attended to charitable works and personally served orphans and the poor every day before she ate. She rose at midnight to attend daily church services.She was considered to be an exemplar of the "just ruler", and also influenced her husband and children to be just and holy rulers.As it was a communion service Rev Richard Kirkman from Escrick Parish was kind enough to come and help. The readers were Auriol Drummond-Hay and Amy Tomlinson.
Harvest Festival
On Sunday 19th of September, the whole School had a Harvest Thanksgiving Service in the chapel. It was particularly special as for the first time ever, the Salvation Army Brass Band accompanied our hymns. It was a pleasant alternative on this occasion and was enjoyed by everyone who attended. Captain Sharen Furlong was our guest speaker who did well in managing to link her talk with the reading Chaplain gave the girls and the one she had intended for them to read! Finally, the altar was beautifully decorated with baskets of fruit and thanks must go to Miss Thackray for her efforts.
Report written by Florence Joly de Lotbinière
The main content of study is Christianity based and in Year III the pupils consider the Life and Teaching of Jesus as portrayed in works of art from the National Gallery and around the world.
In the second half of the year pupils study "Life Issues" where they are introduced to some of the moral questions that challenge young people and are encouraged to consider how Christians and people of other traditions respond to these issues.
Years I and II
The focus is on the ‘learning from religion’, an objective which requires that girls gain an appreciation of other religions.
The course has two central strategies to help girls to make religions relevant to their own lives. The first is its thematic structure, and the second is a focus on thinking skills or enquiry. Girls’ interests are engaged by introducing ideas through themes or concepts that are already familiar and meaningful to them e.g. relationships, right and wrong, power and communication. The girls are encouraged to develop their thinking skills as they respond, evaluate and apply questions to what they have learnt about religions.
Year III
For two terms, girls explore aspects of the Muslim experience from the time of Muhammad to the present day; this includes beliefs, forms of prayer, the rituals which mark the stages of life and the traditions that give to millions of Muslims today their distinctive way of life. The girls are encouraged to reflect on the teachings and practice of Islam, and to develop their own views.
In the third term the girls study ‘Art and the Christian Faith’, a course which is centred on how in the past people learned the stories and beliefs of the Christian faith not by reading about them but through drama, story, music and art. Through a series of eight units the girls explore how the Christian faith is expressed through the arts. Themes include Signs and Symbols, the work of the Holy Spirit, The Incarnation, Attributes of God and Salvation.
Pupils begin their GCSE full course in Year IV and sit their examination at the end of Year V. There is no coursework. Pupils study the AQA Religious Studies Specification A, Unit 2 Christianity: Ethics, which looks at how different Christians respond to moral questions, questions of right and wrong and Unit 5: Mark's Gospel which looks at Mark's account of Jesus' life and teaching and the significance of Jesus for today.
The department is very well resourced with text books, artefacts, CD-Rom software, DVDs and Videos. Over thirty guest speakers of various denominations and religions speak in chapel throughout the course of the year and a number of these attend lessons to speak about their faith and answer questions. The department also enjoys a very good relationship with the local Imam and pupils visit the Mosque in York.
A Religious Studies GCSE is a valuable qualification for careers in a wide area. It can be especially useful in a career where dealing with people is important.
For Exam Board information please click the following link:
www.aqa.org.ukOn Friday 21st January, a very different type of sermon was given at Evensong in the Chapel. Catherine Lee works as a Church Missionary Society representative in Taiwan, where she is now returning for another stretch of mission work. In her characteristically inimitable style, she leapt up the Chapel steps and instantly commanded every girl’s attention as she strode across the platform demonstrating the traffic light signals in Taiwan compared to the UK. Do we want to merely look as if we will set off walking sometime, or are we actually going somewhere right now?
Catherine has been in Taiwan since 1999, but before this she was a CMS representative in Tanzania, and she compared the two very different sets of problems that faced each of these countries and the Christian messages that were important to her and to the people she met. Catherine drew parallels with life in the UK and challenged QM girls to make the most of the opportunities here and give something back of themselves. In a change of pace, Catherine then led the school in quiet prayer as we held in our minds those to whom we both inspired and were inspired by.
Catherine stayed for supper after Chapel and was joined by several girls who continued the discussions on cultural differences and the role that charity work plays in the World. We look forward to welcoming Catherine Lee back to QM in three and a half years, when she is next in the UK.