Old RE Page (Pre 2020)

Our Mission: Mutual Ascendancy

The RE Department at St Bonaventure’s School aims to assist parents in enabling their children to share in their faith confidently, actively and lovingly. Every day we aim to be Outstanding.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

The Department strives to teach creative lessons which are faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church and the Gospel Values of Jesus Christ. As well as regular whole school and class masses, pupils are fully supported by our Chaplain and have regular opportunities to enjoy the Sacraments and develop their faith in active and contemplative ways. Pupils enjoy understanding scripture, retreats and pilgrimage throughout the school year.

The Department has a tradition of encouraging Catholic Social Teaching in pupils and the vibrant CAFOD group and Citizens UK TELCO group are testament to the fact that RE in the classrooms manifests in forming socially and politically active as well as caring young men.

KS3 Religious Education

RE Department trip to Fatima in 2016

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

From 2016, the recently revamped The Way, The Truth and The Life syllabus will be delivered to students in Key Stage 3:

Year 7 – The Way

1. Revelation & Faith
2. God’s Promises Fulfilled
3. The Saviour
4. The Church
5. The Sacraments
6. Christianity & Other Faiths – Focus on Hinduism

Year 8 – The Truth

1. Creation
2. The Covenant
3. Mystery of the Eucharist
4. The Paschal Mystery
5. Mission of the Church
6. The Church in Britain

Additional unit – Focus on Islam

Year 9 – The Life

1. Spiritual Quest
2. The Gospels
3. Life in the Spirit
4. God’s Call
5. Morality & Conscience
6. Dialogue with Other Faiths – Focus on Judaism

KS4 Religious Studies GCSE

Pupils are studying the new GCSE in Religious Studies (Edexcel Specification A). They will take the following exam papers:

Paper 1: Catholic Christianity (1h 45mins / 50%)
Paper 2: Judaism (50mins / 25%)
Paper 3: Philosophy and Ethics [Catholic Christianity] (50mins / 25%)

The new Edexcel GCSE Specification

Both specifications include important contemporary and philosophical topics such as the existence of God, the Problem of Evil, Life after Death, Abortion, Euthanasia, Freedom of Speech, Marriage and the Family. However, pupils also gain a deeper insight into the Roman Catholic faith studying such topics as the Trinity, Apostolic Tradition, Papal Authority, the Sacraments, Vocation and the Sermon on the Mount.

As a result, the course also asks boys to consider various challenges to the Catholic faith and the Church’s moral teaching. From this enquiry, pupils will search their own conscience and be equipped to articulate their faith in the wider world. Moreover, they will also have the critical thinking skills and the knowledge to follow their own vocation with confidence.

KS5 Religious Studies A Level

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates

Students of RS (Philosophy, Theology and Ethics) at St Bonaventure’s are invited to grapple with some of the most profound questions of the human experience: Is there a God? Why are we here? Why is there anything at all? What is it to be moral?

This rigorous course often takes learning beyond the classroom. Lectures, visiting speakers and societies combine to develop in all our pupils a scholarly and multi-disciplinary understanding of the world building up fundamental, transferable skills.

The subject welcomes people from all faith traditions and none. Be prepared to read up on everything from Plato to NATO as we hope you enjoy constructing and deconstructing arguments and working together to solve the problem of knowing what we do and do not know.

We will be studying the Edexcel A Level Religious Studies from September 2016 onwards. This course is comprised of three units: Philosophy of Religion, Ethics and New Testament Studies.

Edexcel A Level Specification