Topic 1: Creation and Covenant- This unit focuses on the mystery of God and how human beings come to know God through the Church’s teachings on the two types of revelation.

Topic 2: Prophecy and Promise- This unit focuses on the mystery of God and how human beings come to know God through divine revelation. It focuses especially on the

nature and role of Sacred Scripture.

Topic 3: Galilee to Jerusalem -This unit focuses on Jesus being the full and final revelation of God. Celebration.

Spring Term:

Topic 4: Desert to Garden- This unit focuses on the sacraments as the extension of the incarnation through time.

Topic 5: To the ends of the Earth– Students will learn about the role the Spirit plays in the life of the Church and in the lives of individuals.

Summer Term:

Topic 6: Dialogue and Encounter- Islam- Central aspects of Islam. Comparison with Christianity and Judaism. Sociological issues relating to Islam.

Topic 1: Revelation- Who is Jesus?: The nature of Jesus as fully God and fully human. The different roles of Jesus. The New Testament and the Gospels.

Topic 2: The Church- How has the Church changed?: The next steps in the Church’s history; the Great Schism, the Reformation and Vatican II.

Spring Term:

Topic 3: Celebration- Called to Love: Vocation and the lives of people who have answered God’s call. Relationships and Sex Education.

Topic 4: Life in Christ- Good and Evil: The foundations of Moral philosophy. Christian and non-religious approaches to ethical decision-making.

Summer Term:

Topic 5: Comparative Religion- Eastern World Religions: The beliefs and practices of Buddhism and Sikhism.

Topic 1: Revelation- How is God revealed to us?: The different ways God reveals his nature, will and actions to humanity.

Topic 2: The Church-The Church Today: The reality of today’s Catholic Church. Building on the knowledge of the Church’s history.

Spring Term:

Topic 3: Celebration-Peace and Conflict: Causes of conflict: sin, crime, war and discrimination. Christian and Jewish responses.

Topic 4: Life in Christ- Life and Death: Religious beliefs about the value of human life. Practices relating to death. IVF, abortion and euthanasia.

Summer Term:

Topic 5: Philosophy- Ancient Greeks & Philosophy of Religion: Philosophical enquiry about knowledge, reality and God’s existence.

Year 10 Curriculum:

Year 11 Curriculum:

Paper 1: Catholic Christianity: 1 hour 45 minutes- 50% of the overall GCSE grade.

• Catholic Beliefs and Teachings.
• Catholic Practices.
• Sources of Wisdom and Authority.
• Forms of Expression and Ways of Life.

Paper 2: Judaism: 50 minutes- 25% of the overall GCSE grade.

• Catholic Beliefs and Teachings.
• Catholic Practices.

Paper 3: Philosophy and Ethics: 50 minutes- 25% of the overall GCSE grade.

• Arguments for the existence of God.
• Religious teachings on relationships in the twenty first century.

Each different topic will have four styles of questions:

(a) Outline or state three… [3 marks]

(b) Explain two… [4 marks]

(c) Explain two… Include a SOWA [5 marks]

(d) Evaluate the statement, including teachings and different viewpoints [12 or 15 marks]

In Year 10 we start with Paper 2 Judaism and move on to Paper 1 Catholic Christianity. The order of units are as follows:

Autumn Term:

2. 1: Jewish Beliefs and Teachings: Central beliefs that underpin the Jewish faith (e.g. Beliefs about God, the Messiah and main covenants).

2.2: Jewish Practices: The fundamental practices of Judaism based upon Jewish beliefs. Important Jewish rituals and festivals.

Spring Term:

1.1: Catholic Beliefs and Teachings: Central beliefs that underpin the Christian faith (e.g. The Incarnation and Trinity).

1.2: Catholic Practices: The fundamental practices of Catholicism based upon Christian beliefs. Includes liturgical worship and sacraments.

Summer Term:

1.3: Sources of Wisdom and Authority: Writings/people who influence the Church’s beliefs, teachings and practices.

In Year 11 we finish off unit 4 from Paper 1 Catholic Christianity and move on to Paper 3 Philosophy and Ethics. The order of units are as follows:

Autumn Term:

1.4: Forms of Expression and Ways of Life: Various ways of expressing Catholic beliefs (e.g. Architecture, Art, Music and Drama).

3.1: Arguments for the Existence of God: Classic philosophical arguments and arguments based on experience vs. the problem of evil and suffering.

Spring Term and Summer Term:

3.2: 21^st Century Relationships and Families: Issues relating to today’s relationships (e.g. contraception, marriage, divorce).

Revision

George and the Big Bang (Lucy Hawking and Stephen Hawking)
History Lives – Book 1: Peril and Peace (Mindy Withrow and Brandon Withrow)
Ablaze: Stories of Daring Teen Saints (Colleen Swain)
Same Sun Here (Silas House)
I am the Night Sky (Next Wave Muslim Initiative Authors)

Year 8: 

An extract from Who was Jesus? (Ellen Morgan)
Courage and Conviction (Mindy Withrow and Brandon Withrow)
A nearly infallible History of the Reformation
A World of Difference (Bob Hartman).
An Article from Maximilian Kolbe.
An Introduction to Moral Philosophy (Jonathan Wolff)
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.
A Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eden Alexander

Year 9: 

An extract from Greta’s Story.
An extract from The Two Popes.
An extract from The Two Popes.
An extract from the Tattooist of Auschwitz.
An extract from My sisters Keeper.
An extract from The fault in the stars.
An extract from Sophie’s world.

Year 10:

Extracts from the Tattooist of Auschwitz.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.
Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’ – Inferno, purgatorio and paradiso (poems about Hell, Purgatory and Heaven).
Biographies of an inspirational Catholic female role model (e.g. Mary Ward, Margaret Clitherow, and Teresa of Calcutta).

Year 11: 

The Brothers Karamazov – Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Candide – Voltaire.
Blackburn, S. Think, OUP 2001.
Peter Vardy – God Matters, Puzzle of Evil
Thomas Aquinas – Five Ways (Summa Theologica)
Craig, E. Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction, OUP 2002.
Peter Vardy – Puzzle of Sex
A Level Theology articles.
A Level articles on Natural Law (Aquinas) and Conscience (Freud).

We also provide ‘Philosophers Corner’ which is a weekly optional reading task for all year groups that is currently in the news with a thought provoking discussion question.