LIFE Skills/Religious Education (non-examined)

LIFE Skills at Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy is an exciting new course that focuses on exploring a range of key issues relevant to living in the modern world. Studying this course will enable students to gain knowledge and understanding that will be applicable to all in their later lives. 

Through the course we will explore and debate contemporary ethical issues - including abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, and organ donation. This will encourage students to develop an appreciation of a diverse range of perspectives whilst also forming and justifying their own personal perspective. Furthermore, we will explore the important role of political engagement in an ever-changing world, engaging with current affairs whilst ensuring that students develop the knowledge and skills required to make reasoned and informed decisions in the future. In addition, students will develop their practical knowledge, understanding and a range of skills that will support them in later life, including basic first aid, stress management, looking after mental wellbeing, and financial management.

Whilst this is not an examined course the content covered will help to ensure that students are prepared to deal with the challenges of a complex a rapidly changing world.

Further Information:  Alan Warburton (LIFE Skills) - email: alan.warburton@scwa.org.uk

Religious Education - every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based, and which:

• promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils; and

• prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

In brief, legislation requires that:

• in maintained community, foundation or voluntary schools without a religious character, RE is taught in accordance with the local Agreed Syllabus

• academies and free schools must teach RE within the requirements for a locally agreed syllabus, set out in section 375 (3) of the Education Act 1996 and paragraph (5) of Schedule 19 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. The requirements are that a syllabus must ‘reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are, in the main, Christian while taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain’

RE must be included in the curriculum for all registered pupils, including sixth form.

The legal requirement is fulfilled with the timetabling of 1 compulsory Religious Education lesson per week.

Further Information:  Naima Khanom (Head of Religious Studies/LIFE Skills) - email: naima.khanom@scwa.org.uk