Staff
- Mrs Danielle Thompson – Head of Religious Education
Aims of the Department
The RE Department aims:
- The aims of R.E. are based upon the overall aims of the school and are rooted in the school’s Mission Statement “to develop the Catholic attitudes and practices in our pupils and provide a rich learning environment to enable them to fulfil their personal and academic potential in a caring and supportive atmosphere.”
- Within St. Joseph’s College we value Religious Education, as an integral aspect of the total education of our students.
- We aim to help pupils discover God, by appreciating the faith they have and helping it to grow and mature in light of the Gospel.
- The RE Deptartment provides opportunities to freely celebrate, participate and reflect upon the Eucharist, liturgy and Prayer. We help develop skills to enable our pupils to understand, appreciate and come to terms with the beliefs of other faiths, whose representatives are full members of our society; And we help pupils understand the religious responses to moral problems which they may encounter.
Curriculum Overview
Key Stage 3
- Year 8, 9 and 10 students follow the “Fully Alive” Program, A faith-based religious education program for Catholic students in Key Stage 3.
- We cover topics like the Bible, the sacraments, Christian teachings, and different forms of prayer, helping students understand God and their faith.
- We develop critical thinking skills & how to become a tolerant person.
- We Learn how to respect others, using teamwork, communication to enriched debating skills & develop empathy for other cultures to create a more rounded view of being human.
Key Stage 4
- OCN NI Level 2 Certificate in Religious Studies is a continual assessment course, covering topics like: Addiction, Person of Faith, Life and Death issues, Charity and religious charity & Prejudice and reconciliation.
- This qualification is equivalent to a C grade at GCSE.
- At GCSE the RE Department follow the CCEA GCSE specification.
- In Year 11 we study Christianity through a study of the Gospel of Mark. This exam is taken at the end of Year 11.
- In Year 12 we study An Introduction to Christian Ethics. This exam is taken at the end of Year 12.
- Each written paper is worth 50% of the overall qualification and each written paper lasts 1 hour 30 min. There is No Controlled Assessment in RE GCSE
For more information on CCEA GCSE RE Specification: www.ccea.org.uk
Community and Faith in Action
Spiritual Life
Students grow spiritually and reflect on their faith through regular community worship:
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Whole-school mass and termly communion services.
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Weekly school assemblies.
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Annual Christmas carol service.
Outreach and Charity
We put our values into action by supporting those in need, both locally and globally:
