Religious Studies
Overview of the Religious Studies Department
The outcome of Religious Education at Haberdashers' Crayford is “religiously literate and engaged young people who have the knowledge, understanding and skills – appropriate to their age and capacity – to reflect spiritually, and think ethically and theologically, and who are aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life.” - Religious Education Curriculum Directory
We therefore seek:
- To present engagingly comprehensive content which is the basis of knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith and other major world religions
- To enable pupils continually to deepen their religious and theological understanding and be able to communicate this effectively.
- To raise pupils’ awareness of religious faiths, traditions and communities in order to respect and understand them
- To present an authentic vision of religious moral and social teaching so that pupils can make a critique of the underlying trends in contemporary culture and society
- To develop the critical faculties of pupils so that they can relate their beliefs to daily life
- To enable pupils to relate the knowledge gained through Religious Education to their understanding of other subjects in the curriculum
- To bring clarity to the relationship between faith and life, and between faith and culture.
Meet the Religious Studies teachers
| Name | Role | About them |
| Mrs A Harvey | Head of Religious Studies & PSHE |
Mrs A Harvey joined Haberdasher's Crayford Academy in 2022 as an experienced curriculum leader. She is currently Head of Religious Studies and PSHE. She is a trained theologian and a Senior Examiner for AQA GCSE Religious Studies and moderator for the WJEC Applied Criminology course. She has experience teaching Religious Studies, Sociology, Criminology and Geography. She is passionate about engaging students in discussions, encouraging them to explore alternative viewpoints. |
| Mrs A Foster | Teacher of Religious Studies and Social Sciences |
Ms A. Foster is a Philosophy specialist who has taught Religion, Philosophy and Ethics for over a decade. She also has a background in teaching Psychology and Sociology at 6th form and is keenly interested in the intersection of Social Studies subjects. She joined Crayford in September 2020. |
| Ms E Orotayo | Head of Social Science |
Ms Orotayo began working at the Academy in 2019. She is a graduate of Criminology and is keen on ensuring students have plenty of opportunities to develop their oracy skills through interesting, thought-provoking debates and discussions around society and the interactions we have with institutions and organisations. As Head of Social Science, she teaches Psychology, Sociology and Criminology |
| Ms N Uddin | Teacher of Social Science |
Ms Uddin joined Crayford Academy in 2023 with a degree from LSE and UCL and an interest in seeing how the social sciences connect to the wider/career world. She is specialist teacher of Citizenship and related humanities-based subjects like Sociology, Religious Education, and Politics and has a strong understanding of teaching young people about the powerful knowledge, skills, and concepts they need to be active democratic citizens of our society. |
| Ms A Ani | Trainee Teacher of Religious Studies |
Ms Ani joined the Academy in September 2023 |
Curriculum Statement
View our Religious Studies Curriculum Overview
Key Stage 3
At KS3 students are offered the opportunity to learn about both Abrahamic and Eastern faiths through their shared histories and narratives. This then allows them to make direct comparisons between the faiths and their divergences. In addition to this they are introduced to philosophical and ethical issues, which allows them to critique and explore contemporary issues from different perspectives, teaching them how to evaluate and appreciate different world view points.
View our Key Stage 3 Religious Studies Curriculum Map
Key Stage 4
Students who choose to study the subject at KS4 will take the AQA GCSE Religious Studies Specification A course. This allows them to study both Christianity and Islamic beliefs and practices in depth, before applying this knowledge to variety of contemporary issues. This prepares them to engage in ethical and philosophical dilemma which feed into the RS A-Level course and also helps to develop them as empathetic citizens whilst also developing the skills of textual and argument analysis that are required at A-Level.
View our Key Stage 4 Religious Studies Curriculum Map
Key Stage 5
At A-Level students take OCR Religious Studies which is a rigorous course of study that prepares learners for progression to Higher Education. The content is designed to provide a coherent and thought-provoking programme of study and largely comprises the study of Philosophy and Ethics, as well as developments in Christian Theology.
View our Key Stage 5 Religious Studies Curriculum Map
How does Religious Studies prepare students for the next stage of their education or employment?
The study of Religion and at A-Level is a desirable subject by many universities as the skills developed are transferable to a wide variety of undergraduate degree programs. Career paths are also wide ranging and include fields such as politics, medicine and teaching.
More Information
More information about our curriculum can be found by looking at our curriculum overviews
