Religious Studies

Religious Studies at Northallerton School & Sixth Form College develops thoughtful, articulate and ethically informed students who can engage critically with questions of belief, morality and human identity.

Our curriculum is enquiry-led and carefully sequenced from Year 7 to Year 13 to build:

  • Philosophical reasoning

  • Ethical evaluation

  • Knowledge of major world religions

  • Analytical and evaluative writing

Religious Studies also contributes significantly to the school’s Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) provision, exploring issues of human dignity, relationships, rights and moral responsibility.

 

Key Stage 3 and Core RS (Years 7–9)

Curriculum Intent

All students study Core Religious Studies from Year 7 to Year 11.

At KS3, students explore:

  • What it means to be human

  • The value of life

  • Christian and Islamic beliefs and practices

  • Prejudice, discrimination and social justice

  • Ethical decision-making

  • Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma)

The curriculum develops structured debate, empathy and evaluative thinking.

From September 2026, all Year 9 students will begin the GCSE Religious Studies course, enabling:

  • Greater academic rigour

  • A recognised qualification

  • Structured integration of new statutory RSE elements

Until then, RSE content is delivered through a combination of Core RS and the Personal Development programme (Jigsaw).

KS3 / Core RS Curriculum Overview

Term Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
Autumn Term 1 What does it mean to be human? Animal Rights & Ethics Sanctity of Life & Abortion
Autumn Term 2 Human Nature (continued) Christian Beliefs Islamic Beliefs
Spring Term 1 Introduction to Christianity Prejudice & Discrimination Crime & Punishment
Spring Term 2 Introduction to Islam Religion & the Arts (C.S. Lewis) Religion & Life
Summer Term 1 Hinduism – Sanatana Dharma Wealth & Poverty Peace & Conflict
Summer Term 2 Ethical Decision Making Holocaust & Moral Responsibility Drugs & Social Justice

Students develop Tier 3 vocabulary, structured paragraph writing (PEE), and evaluative essay technique in preparation for GCSE.

Key Stage 4

Core RS (Years 10–11)

All students continue Core RS, exploring ethical and philosophical issues relevant to modern British society, including:

  • Religion, Crime and Punishment

  • Religion and Life

  • Religion, Peace and Conflict

  • Human Rights and Social Justice

  • Self, death and the afterlife

RSE elements such as relationships, dignity, consent, and moral responsibility are embedded within these units and reinforced through Jigsaw Personal Development lessons.

GCSE Religious Studies (AQA) – Optional Route (Current Model)

Students opting for GCSE study:

  • Christianity: Beliefs and Teachings

  • Islam: Beliefs and Teachings

  • Religion and Life

  • Religion, Crime and Punishment

GCSE Curriculum Overview

Term Year 10 GCSE Year 11 GCSE
Autumn Term 1 Christian Beliefs Islamic Beliefs
Autumn Term 2 Christian Practices Islamic Practices
Spring Term 1 Religion & Life Religion & Crime & Punishment
Spring Term 2 Theme D: Peace & Conflict Theme E: Crime & Punishment
Summer Term 1 Revision & Exam Skills Revision & Exam Skills
Summer Term 2 Mock & Consolidation Examination

Planned Curriculum Model – From September 2026

  • All Year 9 students will begin GCSE Religious Studies

  • Completion in Year 10

  • Year 11 returns to Core RS enrichment

  • RSE elements fully embedded within examined content

This strengthens both curriculum coherence and qualification outcomes.

Sixth Form (Non-Core)

Religious Studies is offered at A Level (Philosophy, Ethics and Christianity) but is not compulsory.

Students study:

  • Philosophy of Religion (Arguments for the existence of God, Religious Experience, Evil and Suffering)

  • Ethics (Normative Ethical Theories and applied ethics)

  • Christianity (Beliefs, Sources of Wisdom, Dialogue with Philosophy & Ethics)

KS5 Curriculum Overview

Term Year 12 Year 13
Autumn Term 1 Introduction to Philosophy (Plato & Aristotle) Religious Language & Meta-Ethics
Autumn Term 2 Arguments for the Existence of God Normative Ethical Theories
Spring Term 1 Evil & Suffering Applied Ethics
Spring Term 2 Religious Experience Sources of Wisdom & Authority
Summer Term 1 Christianity: God & Good Conduct Dialogue Between Christianity & Philosophy
Summer Term 2 NEA-style Essay Practice & Synoptic Links Dialogue Between Christianity & Ethics

Students develop advanced analytical writing, Cornell note-taking and university-style essay technique.

Literacy, Careers and Personal Development

Across all key stages:

  • Tier 3 theological and philosophical vocabulary is explicitly taught

  • Structured evaluative writing is modelled and practised

  • Debate and oracy are central to lesson design

  • Ethical case studies build moral reasoning

Careers linked to Religious Studies include:

  • Law

  • Social work

  • Politics and policy

  • Teaching

  • Theology and academia

  • Journalism

Through engagement with issues such as justice, discrimination, war, human rights and moral responsibility, students develop empathy, critical thinking and active citizenship.