I am curreny teaching across the Key Stages as the Head of Religious Studies in a comprehensive secondary school. Previously I have led a RS department in an inner-city school and also taught Humanities including experience of teaching Geography at KS3, as well as History at KS3 and KS4 and Sociology at KS5. I'm a Religious Studies and Philosophy specialist, having studied Philosophy at university and taught RS at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
I am curreny teaching across the Key Stages as the Head of Religious Studies in a comprehensive secondary school. Previously I have led a RS department in an inner-city school and also taught Humanities including experience of teaching Geography at KS3, as well as History at KS3 and KS4 and Sociology at KS5. I'm a Religious Studies and Philosophy specialist, having studied Philosophy at university and taught RS at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
A revision summary of the topic ‘Christian Beliefs’ following the new ‘AQA Religious Studies A’ syllabus, which had its first exam during Summer 2017. The pack contains core content, condensed into student friendly bullet-points, along with reference to ‘sacred writing’ in the form of quotes. This is excellent revision material for students of all abilities. The content is presented in managable chunks of three key ideas for each sub-topic, supported by quotes, which allow the more able to go into more depth interpreting Christian beliefs and perspectives. The content can be applied to past exam papers, or students can create their own flashcards, quizzes, or graphic organisers in support of their revision.
A revision summary of the topic ‘Christian Practices’ following the new ‘AQA Religious Studies A’ syllabus, which had its first exam during Summer 2017. The pack contains core content, condensed into student friendly bullet-points, along with reference to ‘sacred writing’ in the form of quotes. This is excellent revision material for students of all abilities. The content is presented in managable chunks of three key ideas for each sub-topic, supported by quotes, which allow the more able to go into more depth interpreting Christian beliefs and perspectives. The content can be applied to past exam papers, or students can create their own flashcards, quizzes, or graphic organisers in support of their revision.
NEW 2018 AQA Religious Studies Specification ‘A’ lessons on ‘Buddhist Beliefs and Teachings’ following the 1-9 grading criteria. The lessons include differentiated tasks for every activity, designed to stretch and challenge all students.
This is a comprehensive examination of the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism, through three separate lessons (it could be up to five or six, depending on how much time is devoted to practising the GCSE exam style questions).
Lesson 1 is an introductory overview of the nature and purpose of the Four Noble Truths
Lesson 2 is an in-depth investigation of the first three noble truths including detailed reference to sacred writing.
Lesson 3 is an exploration of the Eightfold Path and includes a 12-mark practice exam question, including sentence starters, a model answer and a student friendly mark scheme.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 4 of the topic ‘Does God have a message?’ Students watch three of Jesus’ parables and discuss the messages they are sending about good behaviour and God’s expectation of humans. Then a number of moral guidelines from the Beautitudes are discussed and students are asked to justify which they believe to be the most important. The key question for this lesson is; ‘Is Jesus’ message relevant to non-Christians?’
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 3 of the topic ‘Does God have a message?’ A differeniated task asking students to respond to summaries of several of Jesus’ miracles by considering the message of each is followed by a clip of ‘dynamo’ walking on water. This leads to the key question for the lesson; ‘Are miracles valuable or pure superstition?’
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 5 of the topic ‘Does God have a message?’ Students start off by watching a video comparing infant and believer’s baptism, before exploring reasons why Christians want to become baptised. The key question for this lesson is; ‘Which type of baptism is more important?’
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 5 of the topic ‘What do I believe’. Students start off considering the reasons why people pray before watching several videos about the nature of prayer for Christians. Students then apply what they have learnt to the analysis of a selection of Christian quotes about prayer and finish off with a creative task of writing a letter to an alien about prayer.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 1 of the topic ‘Does God have a message?’ Students start off by considering how God’s core characteristics might be portrayed through symbols and art. Students then move onto exploring the concept of Jesus as the ‘Son of God’ and why the incarantion of Jesus can be seen as a good way for God to communicate with humans. The key question for this lesson is; ‘Why is taking human form an effective way for God to communicate with humans?’
A KS3 Religious Studies topic, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context.
This topic consists of seven (7) lessons, with the principal focus on the difference between atheist, theist and agnostic belief systems.
Christianity represents theism, with lessons covering the creation story, the nature of God, prayer and the problem of evil.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 6 of the topic ‘Does God have a message?’
Students start off by watching a video explaining the meaning of worship, before investigating four types of Christian worship; charismatic, liturgial, non-liturgical and personal. Students then watch further video clips about liturgical and non-liturgical worship and consider which type may lead to a closer relationship with God.
Finally, students consider ways in which worship could be made more appealing and be better advertised to attract young Christians to worship. The plenary asks students to respond to the question; ‘how do Christians worship’ and complete a ‘how tree’ on this question.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 7 of the topic ‘What do I believe?’ This is the final lesson in this topic.
The starter asks students to identify their level of belief or non-belief in God, before creating a bar chart of the beliefs of other students in the class. Students then suggest reasons behind someone being a theist, atheist or agnostic before considering why someone might change their belief. Two videos give students more insight into why someone may convert to a religion.
Finally, the plenary asks students to reflect on how their personal beliefs about God may have changed during the course of the lesson, as well as the entire topic.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 6 of the topic 'What do I believe?’
Students start to considering sacred writing in the form of Bible quotes linking to God’s omnipotence and benevolence, before responding to a variety of picture stimuli about moral and natural evil as part of a discussion on the traditional argument for the problem of evil.
Students watch a video clip before evaluating a number of reasons why a benevolent God may have created, or is allowing suffering and evil to occur. The plenary asks students to consider the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of the argument for the problem of evil.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning exploring Islam. This is lesson 1 of the topic ‘What makes something special?’ which covers Islamic worship, particularly Salat and Hajj of the Five Pillars of Islam. The SoL follows the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. All tasks are differentiated by choice or challenge in order to stretch learners of all abilities.
Students complete a diamond 9 task why places take on religious significance and why religious people would want to visit one. Students then move on to investigate three holy cities in Islam; Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.
Students then attempt to answer an evaluation question, requiring them to write in extended paragraphs for and against the statement; ‘Medina is the most sacred city in Islam.’ There are two model answers to go through as well as an opportunity for peer- or self-assessment.
Finally, students revisit the learning objectives and assess their progress in the lesson.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on paranormal beliefs as a way to explore belief in the afterlife. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 2 of the topic ‘Do you only live once?’
Students start by responding to a variety of experiences surrounding those who have had near death experiences and then watch three video clips, showing arguments for and against near death experiences being genuine.
Students respond to this information with a choice of creative tasks, choosing from a diary entry, a report or a debate.
Students then respond to an evaluative statement, with sentence starters and expectations modelled on the slide. The statement is; ‘Near death experiences prove that there is life after death.’ Students are expected to answer in three paragraphs, giving reasons for and aganist as well as concluding.
The plenary is a self- or peer-assessment task, with a selection of feedback demonstrating the expectations for answering an evaluative question.
A KS3 Religious Studies topic, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context.
This topic contains six (6) lessons focusing the relationship between Christians and God and includes lessons on Jesus’ miracles, Jesus’ parables, baptism and worship.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning exploring Islam. This is lesson 1 of the topic ‘What makes something special?’ which covers Islamic worship, particularly Salat and Hajj of the Five Pillars of Islam. The SoL follows the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. All tasks are differentiated by choice or challenge in order to stretch learners of all abilities.
Students are hooked into learning by being asked to respond to a map of the Middle East, with countries colour coded depending on a majority of either Shi’as or Sunnis. Students are invited to ask a question or make an inference from the map.
Students then move on to a short historical overview of the reason for the initial split within Islam before a mini-plenary summarises the learning so far and allows students to ask a question about Islam.
Students then complete a content clock with 12 blocks of information about the Sunni ‘Articles of Faith’ as well as the Shi’a ‘Roots’, supported by extracts of sacred writing from the Qur’an.
There is a further mini-plenary where students get to ask another question and summarise their learning and some might also be able to answer a question they posed earlier in the lesson.
Students are then given a choice of analytical question to answer in full paragraphs about how Islamic beliefs infuence Muslims in their daily lives, before a final plenary highlighting the similarities and differences between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning exploring Islam. This is lesson 1 of the topic ‘What makes something special?’ which covers Islamic worship, particularly Salat and Hajj of the Five Pillars of Islam. The SoL follows the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. All tasks are differentiated by choice or challenge in order to stretch learners of all abilities.
Students are hooked into learning by a close up of Muslims on Hajj and are asked to respond to the image by imaging what it would be like to be in the crowd. Students then see a further six images and are asked to infer from them what is happening.
Students then watch a 15-minute video diary about a Muslim going on Hajj and get a choice of activities for how they want to respond, either a; diary entry, newspaper article, story board or flow chart.
Students then read additional information about the Hajj and have to respond by writing a paragraph about it, linked to the learning outcomes for the lesson.
Finally, a creative plenary asks students to create their own picture of their learning in the lesson.
A lesson within the broader topic of 'Belonging' investigating the significance of the Amrit ceremony for Sikhs including the meaning behind the 5Ks and how the Khalsa can establish a sense of belonging.
A KS3 Religious Studies assessment criteria table based on the NEW 2016 locally agreed SACRE syllabus using the NEW 1-9 GCSE grading system. Based on BOTH AT1 and AT2 and including 5 key assessment descriptors.
