The Religious Education Department aims to develop students’ awareness and understanding of both Secular and Non Secular beliefs, teachings and practices.
We aim to enable our students to develop respect for and empathy towards others, in particular those whose faith and beliefs are different from their own.
We aim for students at NCW to become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens through asking questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life; discussing our beliefs about God; talking through moral and ethical issues and about what it means to be human. We enhance their sense of identity and belonging and develop their skills to flourish as individuals within their communities and as citizens in a diverse and changing global community.
Religious Education, which includes Philosophy and Ethics, has an important role in preparing students for adult life, employment and lifelong learning.
The challenges in meeting the needs of students with a vision impairment in this subject include:
- The visual nature of symbolism and representation in religious belief and practice
- Assessment using visual stimulus materials
- Accessing the necessary large amounts of text for research
- Navigating and filtering research materials through the internet
- Remembering, understanding and responding to important events and practices without the visual stimulus and clues
- Lack of the incidental learning which is acquired through sight
Examples of adaptations for vision impaired students
- Text books, text and images are produced in a range of formats to allow individual students to access the best stimulus material for them.
- Internet materials and sites are screened for access and where necessary reproduced in another format to allow ease of use.
- Audio clips, MP3s and DVDs are used as stimulus materials and in revision support.
- Revision materials are specifically produced for the topics studied and in a range of formats to reduce the need for unnecessary and time wasting scanning.
- Artefacts are used to support understanding.
- Art and craft activities allow students to make their own artefacts or to express their understanding of a concept.
- Role-play and drama activities allow students to develop their understanding of an issue or visual imagery of an event.
- Visits take place across the Key Stages and we have excellent links with a local Synagogue and Mosque. Year 7 undertake Humanities afternoons where they visit and experience a range of local sites and activities to support their understanding. These include visits to a local Church, Pershore Abbey and Worcester Cathedral. They take part in activities which include Pilgrimage and Monks Role Play.
- Key stage 4/5 students have the opportunity to take part in extended visits with a cross curricular theme to places like Krakow in Berlin and Anne Frank’s House in Amsterdam to consider the Holocaust.
- Visiting speakers take part in debates with students to widen their knowledge and understanding.
To read about the Religious Education Curriculum intent, please click the button below:
Courses
GCSE:
- AQA Religious Studies A (Short Course)
Other courses:
Religion, Philosophy and Ethical themes are also explored through the skills based ASDAN course and within PSHE in Key Stage 4
Head of Department:
