Religious Studies form part of the curriculum for all girls until the end of Year III.
The central element in the curriculum is the girls’ engagement with living world religions so that they both learn about them and learn from them. Girls are encouraged to explore the nature of religion and to search for meaning and purpose in life by considering the ultimate questions of human experience. During their studies the girls are helped to clarify their own beliefs and values through an awareness of the variety of responses, both religious and non-religious, to fundamental questions and are encouraged to make informed judgements whilst remaining sensitive to the views of others.
Religious Studies makes a crucial contribution to the girls’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
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.
The AQA syllabus is followed and this is divided into two parts:
1. The Christian Life and St Mark’s Gospel
2. Effects of Christianity on Behaviour, Attitudes and Lifestyles