Brighouse High School

1. Brighouse High School Religious Studies Department

2. Staff Head of Department – Mrs Rosie Horsfield Part-time staff – Mrs Catherine Bagnall (3 days) Non-specialist part-time staff:- - Miss K White (7 hours) - Miss R Ramdewor (7 hours) - Mrs E Hirst (1 hour) (2 hours –cover supervisor) (Miss K Owram , an RS specialist, will join the department in September)

3. The Promotion of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development “Spirituality is like a bird: if you hold it too tightly it chokes, if you hold it too loosely it flies away. Fundamental to spirituality is the absence of force”. (Rabbi Hugo Gryn) By it’s very nature the subject lends itself perfectly to the promotion of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils. The above quote is taken from the BHS policy document and reflects my own view of how RS should best be delivered.

4. The value of Religious Studies Despite exclusion from the National Curriculum Review the value of this subject cannot be underestimated. The Religious Education Council of England & Wales (REC) has produced a curriculum framework for RE in England with an aim to guide SACREs, teachers, governing bodies etc. The new local agreed syllabus for Calderdale & Kirkless has been written in accordance with the findings of the framework.

5. Key Stage 3 RS is taught for 1 hour a week to all KS3 Students Mixed ability groups taught in forms Baseline assessment in Year 7 ensures that progress can be accurately measured. In Y7 pupils study the Abrahamic faiths- Judaism, Christianity and Islam focussing upon key beliefs and practices. In Y8 pupils study the Eastern religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism and again focus upon key beliefs and practices.

6. Key Stage 3 In Y9 pupils have traditionally started the GCSE course at the start of the Spring term after completing an introductory module taken from the “Reflecti0ns” series . Reflections enables pupils to consider a range of ethical , moral and philosophical concepts and questions such as; The Sanctity of Life, Why does evil exist? Was the world designed?

7. Key Stage 3-4 Following the change from modular to linear assessment at GCSE, a decision was made this year to introduce GCSE RS as an option rather than being compulsory. (All pupils will still receive core RS) I am pleased to report that we have had a good uptake which evidences the value placed upon this subject by both pupils and parents.

8. From September 2014 • Schemes of work to be re-written & updated in accordance with the new Calderdale locally agreed syllabus for RE. • Cross curricular links with other departments; for example I shall be liaising with the Head of History and we have already identified the Holocaust as a possible topic in Y9 to be simultaneously studied across both subject areas.

11. GCSE Currently all pupils in KS4 study GCSE RS following the AQA syllabus (specification B) and study two units both of which make up the full GCSE. It is possible to study one unit (short-course) which equates to half a GCSE. Unit 2- Religion & Life- In this unit we explore religious, moral and ethical questions through the following topics; Prejudice & Discrimination, Animal Rights, Early Life and Planet Earth. Unit 3- Religion & Morality- In this unit we explore religious, moral and ethical questions through the following topics; Crime & Punishment, Medical Ethics, Drugs and the Elderly and Death. From September 2014 we will also be able to include other topics such as War & Peace and World Poverty.

12. GCSE Results have historically been very pleasing. 2012- 83% A*- C 2013- 69% A*- C ( this figure reflected whole school figures and matched HOD predictions)

13. A Level • A Level RS is taught following the AQA course and is a popular choice for students. • In Year 12 the units studied are- the Philosophy of Religion & Science, and Islam, the Way of Submission. There are 12 students in the y12 group this year. • In Year 13 the units studied are- the Philosophy of Religion & Religious Experience (synoptic module). There are 9 students in Y13 this year. • The course allows students to explore a range of philosophical questions and examine the views of key scholars. The synoptic module enables students to pull together the material they have studied over the 2 year course. • 2013 100% pass rate at both AS & A2.

14. Taking it further… I am proud to report that 3 students in Y13 have opted to study RS or an RS related subject at degree level. Charlotte Owens has accepted an offer at Cambridge to study Philosophy, Emily Lister has accepted an offer at Edinburgh to study Divinity & Classics, and Holly Bancroft has accepted a place at Chester to study Religious Studies.

16. Extra-Curricular • Y7 York trip takes place in the last week of the Autumn term and is always very popular. • I do intend to explore other trips, especially at KS4 & 5 . • Liaising with Tony Buck of CICS.

17. Y12 Peace & Unity Conference The Y12 conference was re-launched in 2013 to be more interactive. Students were encouraged to consider whether peace in our time is reality or myth, and who do we consider to be our neighbours? Amongst other activities the Yew Tree Theatre Group from Wakefield delivered a fantastic play and workshop written especially for our event and based upon the teachings of the Good Samaritan. Excellent feedback received from students & staff

18. Y12 Peace & Unity Conference Mr Yasin & I delivered an interactive session entitled Islam; Dispelling the Myths. Coming so soon after the murder of Lee Rigby the session was very well received and enabled students to ask questions that they had perhaps never felt comfortable enough to do before. Plans for this year’s conference are well under way ; students will again be challenged to share their views on a number of moral & ethical issues .