Year 9 RE

What students learn this year:

In Year 9 Religious and Ethics, students explore the rich diversity of global faith traditions while building the foundations for GCSE study. They do many comparative studies and examine Catholic and Protestant denominations, different perspectives on Jesus as Messiah or prophet, alongside a study of Christian and Muslim beliefs about God. Pupils investigate key places of worship such as the Mosque and Mandir and learn about sacred texts including the Guru Granth Sahib. Students then explore Buddhism’s origins, the Eightfold Path, and the ways Buddhism is practised around the world. The year concludes with the Religion, Ethics and Science topic that seeks to develop student's analytical skills in preparation for their KS4 courses.

Term overview:

Term / Half-term	Main topics / units	Key knowledge & skills
Autumn 1	How the catholic church developed and changed	Students will develop the ability to: Comparative analysis: identifying similarities and differences between world religions. Interpretation of religious teachings: understanding how beliefs shape identity and practice. Critical thinking: evaluating contrasting viewpoints respectfully and thoughtfully. Use of religious vocabulary: applying key terms accurately in discussion and writing. Reflection on beliefs and values: considering how religious ideas relate to ethical questions and personal perspectives. Preparation for moving on to KS4 studies through the summer term topic which focuses on analytical skills and broader depth of knowledge.
Autumn 2	Hinduism
Spring 1	Buddhism
Spring 2	Can war ever be justified
Summer 1	Religion, Ethics and Science
Summer 2	Religion, Ethics and Science

How learning and progress are checked

In Year 9 students will develop evaluative, analytical and critical skills. They will go deeper in three main religions and cover a number of topics that require them to develop the ability to justify their own points of view whilst maintaining an open mind, being able to understand and challenge different perspectives. They will begin to be challenged more in their extended writing in order to prepare them for their KS4 courses.

Assessment in this year group:

Type of assessment	Approx. frequency / when	What it is used for (e.g. reports, targets)
Classwork / quizzes	Short retrieval quizzes most lessons	To check recall of key facts and address misconceptions quickly
Homework tasks	Once per week	To practise applying ideas and build good study habits
End-of-topic assessments	Approximately once per half-term	To judge understanding of each unit and inform progress data
End-of-year assessment	Summer term	To give an overall picture of progress across the year

Homework and Independent study

How often is homework set? Every two weeks

Typical length per task: Around 30 minutes

Suggested independent study ):

Students are encouraged to spend 10–15 minutes a week reviewing their exercise book and knowledge organiser. Websites such as BBC Bitesize are useful for revising topics we have covered.

How parents and carers can support:

Ask your child to explain one thing they learned in RE today in their own words.
Check that homework is completed on time and in full sentences where required.
Encourage a quiet, distraction-free space for homework and revision.
Help your child to revise little and often rather than leaving everything to the night before a test.

Support, stretch and enrichment:

Support for students who need extra help :

We use writing frames, key vocabulary lists and carefully structured practical tasks to support students who find Science challenging. Teachers liaise with the SEND team to adapt resources where needed .

Stretch & challenge:

More confident students are given extension questions, opportunities to research real-world applications of RE, and more complex exam-style problems (example).

Clubs / trips / extra opportunities: