Teachers and Roles
Mr C Cook – Head of Department
Mrs D Considine – Religious Education Teacher
Mrs A Clarke – Religious Education Teacher
About the Religious Education Department at Darton College
Religious Education at Darton College aims to develop ‘life skills’ across two main areas: firstly, knowledge about cultures, beliefs, and practices; secondly, about how such ideas impact on a person’s life and how society interacts together. The ‘old fashioned’ idea of religious education is far away from the experience at Darton College.
The department is housed in two classrooms, that have a dividing wall which can be opened to create one large work space. There is also a break out area at the end of the west wing in which the department is situated. Both classrooms have Promethean Interactive Whiteboards along with free access to netbooks and a range of other AV/DV equipment.
The department teaches using a variety of methods such as film clips, music, texts, pictures, discussion, research based activities, modelling and more, and lessons involve much discussion and reasoning. Students are therefore encouraged to develop these skills to help them progress in the subject.
Curriculum
Key Stage 3
Students follow the New Locally Agreed Syllabus which aims to develop understand of key questions regarding life and society. However the Key Stage is split into 2 parts, the former giving an understanding of key concepts and ideas, and the second intermediate part being more of an ethics based syllabus looking at issues such as Crime and Punishment, Human Rights, Genetic Engineering, and Environmental Issues, to name but a few.
Schemes of learning have been designed to:
- Address the key questions from the locally agreed syllabus.
- Let students question ideas, concepts and come to reasoned conclusions.
- Challenge their own thoughts and push them to progress and reach their potential.
- Let students feel safe to ask questions and enjoy discussing ideas.
Key Stage 4
Year 10 students will start in September 2011 the Edexcel syllabus for Religion and Life followed by Religion and Society in year 11. This is worth a full GCSE by combining the two syllabus’. There are two exams, one in May of year 10, followed by another in May of year 11. Both exams count towards their final grade and an average is taken of the two. There is no coursework involved in the course, so students must make the most of their examinations.
Homework
It is the policy to set homework regularly in Religious Education, but it takes various forms depending on the time of year and the topic being studied. In Key Stage 3 occasionly students may have a project they are working towards completing over a set number of weeks in their own time. We aim to set homework once every two weeks if their homework is not project based. Homework is seen as being vital to success as it is a chance for students to develop their own thinking, reasoning and independent learning.
Key stage 4 students are encouraged to practice their exam questions as it is their key to success. There are four different styles of questions on the exam paper, and it is imperative that students learn how to answer each type and include the necessary information and analysis needed for their best chance of success.
Extra-Curricular Activities
As part of the new curriculum being offered as part of the ‘Life Skills’ curriculum, RE and citizenship are planning to offer trips to:
- Museums.
- Places of worship.
- Court.
Other activities include:
- Intervention/booster classes.
- Study Days.
- Revision Sessions.
