Religious Education

Religious Education (RE) at Weston Secondary School aims to inspire students to become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens. Through the study of worldviews, religions and philosophical ideas, our curriculum encourages students to reflect on their own values, deepen their understanding of others, and explore some of life’s most important questions. 

Our RE curriculum is rooted in key concepts and built around engaging ‘Big Questions’ that help develop students’ personal, learning and thinking skills. RE plays a vital role in supporting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, while also nurturing mutual respect and understanding between students of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. 

Students benefit from a range of enriching experiences beyond the classroom. Year 7 pupils visit Winchester Cathedral to explore a significant place of Christian pilgrimage. Additionally, we embrace opportunities for students to visit places of worship from a variety of faith traditions. 

At Key Stage 3, students follow the locally agreed syllabus and study a range of religions and worldviews. Each year is framed around a series of ‘Big Questions’ designed to challenge thinking and stimulate meaningful discussion. 

Year 7 Big Questions:  What are beliefs and how do they impact believers? Who has the right belief about God? Is it always right to obey? 

Year 8 Big Questions: Does God love everyone? Do we have a duty towards others? Does religion make the world better? 

Year 9 Big Questions: Why do bad things happen to good people? Is quality of life more important than the sanctity of life? Does everyone deserve human rights? 

At Key Stage 4, students can choose to study GCSE Religious Studies (Eduqas Route A). This course invites pupils to explore religious, philosophical, and ethical issues in greater depth. Assessment takes place in Year 11 across three exam papers:  

Paper 1: Religious, Philosophical and Ethical Studies in the Modern World (2 hours) Paper 2: Christianity (1 hour)  

Paper 3: Islam (1 hour)