Religious Education

Mrs H. Phillips- Head of Department 

Mrs O. Crosbie 

Mr N. McDonnell

Aim of department

To explore a range of beliefs and values about religious, philosophical and ethical issues, considering different viewpoints and encouraging independent thought as students evaluate worldviews and perspectives alternative to their own. Strabane Academy’s RE department strives to be inclusive of all our students’ voices, valuing diversity of opinion, faith and belief.

Timetable allocation

 Key Stage 3 Curriculum

Key Themes

Key Stage 4 Curriculum

Year 11

Exam Board: CCEA

Overview

This unit introduces students to philosophical ideas and we explore questions such as:

“Do we need a belief in the afterlife to motivate us to do good?”  “Does the suffering of the innocent make it impossible to believe in God?” “Does science undermine belief in miracles?” “Does the Big Bang Theory challenge the existence of God?”

Students explore these issues from both religious or non-religious perspectives.

Year 12

Exam Board: CCEA

Overview

This unit introduces students to ethics. The topics in this unit are personal and family issues, matters of life and death, developments in bioethics, contemporary issues in Christianity and modern warfare. Amongst others these topics include debates about marriage equality, abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, fertility treatments, discrimination, poverty and nuclear warfare. This unit is hugely relevant and gives students an opportunity to learn about complex issues facing our society today in a non-biased and informative way. Again, we explore these issues from both religious or non-religious perspectives.

 Key Stage 5 Curriculum

Year 13

Exam Board: CCEA

Overview

Unit 1 is a textual study of issues arising within the Gospel of Luke. Students study topics that include religious conflict, the value and role of religious texts and rituals, validity of miracles, outreach to the marginalised, the concept of discipleship, the importance of mercy, the place of Christian claims in a pluralist society.

Unit 2 studies various approaches to moral decision making and then considers application of moral theory to issues such as abortion, euthanasia and bioethics.

Year 14

Exam Board: CCEA

Overview

Unit 1 is a textual study of the parallels between the first 3 Gospels and the issues arising, including themes of religious texts, authority within religion and interpretation issues.

Unit 2 studies moral theory before going on to look in depth at issues of Global Rights-including animal rights, feminism, equal marriage rights; and Global Issues specifically addressing War and Punishment. Themes include conscience, tolerance and personal liberty.

Extra-Curricular 

Rainbow Alliance Group