Curriculum Intent
Religious Studies at Southend High School for Girls is an academically challenging subject that sets out to be a coherent curriculum that is engaging and stimulating for every single one of our students. They will, through scholarly endeavour, experience and develop the breadth and depth of religious knowledge and religious literacy, and the skills of philosophical and ethical debate. Throughout these experiences our students will explore their moral purpose, build their character and choose tolerance and kindness as their guide for behaviour based on experiential activities and the investigation of religious teachings and behaviours. Through the lessons they are encouraged to challenge blind faith and blind atheism and so become independent thinkers, who are curious, confident and self-motivated.
What does it feel like to be a student in the Religious Studies Department?
Studying Religious Studies at Southend High School for Girls is about coming to understand the nature of religious belief and exploring the reasons people have for following these beliefs. Each lesson develops evaluative and critical skills, asking fundamental questions that move your thinking away from the obvious simple response into developing more complex and challenging responses based on evidence. You will develop the philosophical skills to be able to formulate questions accurately and be able to challenge any view in an appropriate manner.
Each year builds on the previous one all the way to A level and key themes and skills are revisited so that you have a chance to develop mastery. GCSE and A level are optional, but should you take them you can expect the same intellectual challenge and rigour as Key Stage 3. By the end of the course, you will understand what it means to a person and a community to have faith and be able to recognise and critically examine the foundation of that faith, the nature of scripture, historical foundations, religious experience, and responses to ultimate questions.
By the end of the course, you will be able to examine and explain why people hold to a belief in God, as well as be able to critically evaluate their responses to faith and apply this to responses to moral dilemmas. You will be able to explore the way in which faith shapes the life of the person and the community.