Religious Studies

What is religion? How did the universe begin? Why do people suffer? Why do Christians celebrate Easter? How does religion affect society? What do Jews believe about life after death? Are there different ways of seeing the truth? These are just a few of the questions we seek to address in our RS lessons!

The main aim of religious studies at BCPS is to promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural and intellectual development of pupils by encouraging them to explore those aspects of human experience which raise fundamental questions about beliefs and values. We also aim to encourage the children to develop positive attitudes towards followers of other faiths and to understand that people express beliefs and ideas in a variety of ways. Religious concepts are related to the pupils' own secular experiences.

How do we achieve our aims?

Through the use of:

• A wide range of up-to-date, attractive textbooks for all classes
• Specialist software and relevant online resources 
• Interactive whiteboards in every classroom
• An extensive range of high quality artefacts
• Photo packs, DVDs and CDs
• Drama, art and music
• Visiting speakers and visits to places of worship
• Links with local religious communities

The syllabus for pupils in years 4-6 covers a range of different topics, e.g:

• Christmas journeys
• Muslim beliefs and practices
• What does it mean to be Jewish?
• The theme of 'light' in religion
• Religions in our neighbourhood
• Worship and community

"I like the Bible stories and I like to hear about other religions."
A year 5 boy.

In years 7 and 8, pupils in the CE sets study selected Old and New Testament texts, with reference to contemporary issues.Lively discussions, on topics such as temptation, consequences, forgiveness, prejudice and discrimination, are an integral part of RS lessons. Pupils in the scholarship set are also introduced to philosophy of religion, religious ethics and aspects of 'religion in the world'.

"I like RS because you can openly discuss your thoughts and get other people's opinions."
A year 8 girl.

"We get into deep and interesting discussions."
A year 7 boy.