Religious Studies
Head of Department: Molly Robson/Gloria Good (maternity cover)
Members of Department:
- Wahida Begum (2i/c, KS5 Co-Ordinator)
- Fahzia Mannan (2i/c, KS3 Co-ordinator)
- Samira Hussein
Religious Studies at Morpeth is taught by a team of passionate and committed subject specialists.
The subject gives students an opportunity to debate, discuss and explore big questions of religion, identity and belief.
Key Stage 3
The course that our Year 7 and 8 students follow is designed to be fun, engaging and inclusive, introducing the students to a broad range of religious and philosophical ideas, traditions and beliefs.
Each term is taught as a question or a religious enquiry such as 'What does it mean to be Jewish?', 'Who was Jesus?’, ‘What does it mean to be non-religious' and Hinduism and Sikhism- a Comparative Study. While considering these questions, the students will investigate traditional religious responses as well as those offered by non-religious groups or individuals. The hope is that through studying the range of perspectives and ideas presented by various other sources, our students will have a deeper and more involved understanding of their own faith position, whatever that may be.
Key Stage 4
In Year 9 and Year 10 all students at Morpeth study GCSE Religious Studies. The course focuses on Christian and Muslim responses to a range of ethical and moral issues, ranging from crime and punishment to life after death. Students have three lessons a fortnight in Y9 and two sessions a fortnight in Y10 and we follow the AQA course.
Key Stage 5
We also offer an A Level in Philosophy, Ethics & Islam (OCR ) in Year 12 and Year 13. The course studies philosophical arguments surrounding the existence of God and the nature of faith and belief. In addition to this we look at key ethical theories and apply them to dilemmas and areas of life. Many different traditions, religions are drawn upon for this course and it is assessed through written assessment with final exams.
Extracurricular Opportunities in the Religious Studies Department
The Religious Studies department at Morpeth regularly organises trips which help students engage with issues of faith and belief beyond the classroom. These have included trips to the London Buddhist Centre, the Tabernacle Church, the Jewish Museum and a visit to St Paul’s Cathedral. Last year students also visited Brick Lane to explore the sights (and tastes!) of community cohesion in the East End. We bring in external organisations for workshops, such as the “Easter Experience”.
