S1 Coursework

There are three main units in the S1 Course

What is Religion?  and Signs and Symbols

This is the introductory unit which includes things like the names of the main religions studied, their founders, signs and important dates.  We also see how we can convey truths in different ways, and the way in which we use symbolic language to give extra meaning to our thoughts.  We finish the unit looking at two 'action symbols' in the life of the Christian Church, namely, Baptism and Holy Communion.  A short class test concludes the unit.

A Taste of Religion

Every Primary School covers a different syllabus, and pupils will have looked at different religions.  All should have covered the essential facts of Christianity, but only two of the remaining five main religions are expected to have been covered.

This unit therefore looks at the founders, or the holy books, of the main religions, to give a taste or a flavour of that religion.  For some pupils this will be new work, for others it will be revision.

We look at the story of Siddartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism.

We look at the Bible as containing both the Jewish and the Christian Scriptures.

We look a the story of the Holy Prophet of Islam and the giving of the Qur'an.

Finally we look at the formation of the Khalsa Sikh tradition and the origin of traditional Sikh dress.

A short class test usually concludes the unit.

Hinduism

The third term sees our first organised study of a specific religion, examining some aspects of the oldest of the six main religions, Hinduism.

We look at the basic beliefs of Hinduism, seeing how that religion argues that the one great power, Brahman, can be better understood in the many forms which are part of the Hindus devotional life.

We look at the basic forms of worship and celebration in Hinduism.

The concept of reincarnation, which is an element of all the ‘Eastern Religions’, is introduced.

If time permits, the unit finishes with a brief study of the Ramayana Story, one of the most famous Hindu stories which forms a major part of the Divali Festival.