Humanities

Members of Staff

Mrs K. Kasmani: Geography
Mrs L. Cooper: Geography

Subject Overview

Geography is a well-established and extremely successful department at Lancaster. The study of Geography stimulates an interest in and a sense of wonder about places which inspires pupils to become global citizens. Geography helps young people make sense of a complex and dynamically changing world. It explains where places are, how places and landscapes are formed, how people and their environment interact, and how a diverse range of economies, societies and environments are interconnected.

Pupils learn to think spatially, use maps, visual images and new technologies, including geographical information systems (GIS), to obtain, present and analyse information.

Key Stage 3

Students are entitles to 4 hours per week of Humanities. This is split into Geography, History and Religious Studies and students will study each subject on a rotational system.

Pupils will be taught in mixed ability classes in Year 7 and 8.

The course content for Geography in KS3 in each year is being developed at present. Below are examples of topics that will be studied -

Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Map Skills and Local Area	Population	Climate Global Hazards
Weather and Climate	Industry	Tectonic Global Hazards
Settlement	Coasts	Changing Climate
Africa	Rivers	Distinctive Landscapes
India

Key Stage 4

Geography is an entitlement subject at KS4. Students study GCSE Geography for 3 hours per week in both Year 10 and Year 11. Students are taught in either mixed ability sets or setted groups if there is a suitable opportunity within the option bands - usually there are 3 or 4 groups dependant on numbers opting for the course. There is also an opportunity to study Travel and Tourism as an option in 2017 – 18.

Year 9 students will follow a foundation course in preparation for the GCSE syllabus (see table above)

They follow the OCR B (Syllabus), information about which is outlined below or can be found on the OCR website www.ocr.org.uk

Course Information

This exam is taken in the June of Year 11and lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Course Information

Year 10

New GCSE Syllabus - Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds 9-1) J384 from 2016.

The new syllabus provides enquiry questions and new and exciting content to enthuse and engage students. Interconnections of topics are explored throughout, there is a focus on fieldwork, ensuring these skills are embedded within the scheme of learning.

The new syllabus has been created to provide rewarding learning experiences for all students across a range of abilities and interests. The syllabus covers 8 topic areas, which are arranged into:

Our Natural World (Paper 1 / 1 hour 15 minutes / 35% of the total grade)

• Global Hazards
• Changing Climate
• Distinctive landscapes
• Sustaining Ecosystems

People and Society (Paper 2 / 1 hour 15 minutes / 35% of the total grade)

• Urban futures
• UK in the 21st Century
• Dynamic Development
• Resource Reliance

Geographical skills, exploration and decision making (paper 3 / 1 hour 30 minutes / 30% of the total grade)

There will be questions on all themes from Our Natural World and People and Society. There will be a decision making exercise where resources will be available to students to help them apply their understanding to a particular situation or example.

Additional Information

Geographical enquiry encourages questioning, investigation and critical thinking about issues affecting the world and people’s lives, now and in the future. Fieldwork is an essential element of this. The department has an extremely active programme of fieldwork in both KS3 & KS4.

In Year 7 there is a fieldtrip to Bradgate Park in the summer term. A fieldtrip to the National Forest is available for a target group of Year 8 pupils.

We now carry out field work in year 10 to study how a river changes from source to mouth in Bradgate Country Park and in year 11 we investigate housing challenges in and around Knighton.  

Members of Staff

Mr R. Afzal – Head of Humanities and Teacher of Religious Studies
Mr J. Boyd: Subject Leader Religious Studies/Head of Year 9
Ms A. Gani: Assistant Principal/Religious Studies/History
Mrs A. Patel: Assistant Principal/History/Religious Studies
Ms A. Warren: Teacher of Humanities

Subject Overview

The Religious Studies Faculty seeks to make a major contribution to the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development of pupils by helping them to acquire knowledge and understanding of the principal religions within the United Kingdom and particularly within Leicester, as a vibrant and multi-cultural city

We aim to help pupils become aware of the diversity of belief and practice within and between faiths and to appreciate the many similarities between them. Our aim is also to help pupils understand the continuing influence and impact of religious beliefs, values and traditions on individuals, communities and cultures. One of our methods is to encourage the use of philosophical thinking, questioning and reasoning as this helps pupils to develop an understanding of approaches to ultimate questions and religious and non-religious responses to them. This skill is then built upon to enable older pupils to consider different approaches and responses to religious and moral issues and to develop their own reasoned and informed views about these.

The Religious Studies Department does not seek to convert pupils to a particular religious viewpoint or tradition, compromise pupils’ integrity by promoting the view of any one religion as superior to others, nor simply convey information about religions.

Key Stage 3 Students are entitles to 4 hours per week of Humanities. This is split into Geography, History and Religious Studies and students will study each subject on a rotational system.

Pupils will be taught in mixed ability classes in Year 7 and 8.

The course content for Religious Studies in KS3 in each year is being developed at present. Below are examples of topics that will be studied -

	Half-term 1	Half-term 2	Half-term 3
Year 7	Scheme:   What do people believe? An introduction to key beliefs and Religious Studies	Scheme: Who is God? A comparative analysis of God within Faith. Focussing on Who is God? Where is God? What is God? Why people believe in God?	Scheme:    Scriptures: An analysis of Sacred texts from all religions. Focus on the nature of texts and their purpose. What are the key messages? (comparative)
Year 8	Scheme: Places of Worship: Focus on Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. What is the place of the POW within the community? (Purpose) What is the importance of POWs? How important is the design? (Cultural Capital – identity)	Scheme: Pilgrimage and Festivals: Focus on Pilgrimage in Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. Where? Why? What? Focus on Festivals will be linked to Pilgrimage.	Scheme:   Contemporary Life Issues: A comparative study of religious issues and attitudes. A focus on Human Rights, Gender equality, Racism, LGBTQ

 

	Half-term 4	Half-term 5	Half-term 6
Year 7	Scheme:    Founders of Faith: A focus on the founders of the 6 major World Faiths: Abraham, Jesus, Muhammad(pbuh), The Buddha, Guru Nanak. Hinduism to be represented using the examples of Krishna and Rama as key figures in the formation of the religion.		Scheme:   Rites of Passage (belonging) A focus on Birth, Life and Death. Naming rituals and the end of life with a focus on the Afterlife.
Year 8	Scheme: Religion and Media: A critical analysis of the portrayal of faith in the media. A focus on Extremism/Radicalisation, Media Views, Religious conflict.	Scheme: Alternative Religions and Philosophies: A focus on alternative religions to the 6 Main World Faiths. (Jainism, Jedism, Taoism) Humanism and Atheism as life stances. Philosophers progression into next unit.	Scheme: Ultimate questions and spirituality: A focus on difficult questions such as Why are we here? Do we actually exist? Is God real? Is any of this really important? What happens when we die? Focussing on the Afterlife linking back to Year 7.

 

Key Stage 4

From Year 9 onwards, we follow the GCSE course 'Religious Studies' with the examination board Equqas.

The course is split into 3 main sections which will be covered across 3 years from the start of the next academic year.

Route (A)

Component (1)  – 2 hour examination.

Religious Studies in the Modern World - 50%

 

Theme 1: Relationships

Theme 2: Life and Death

Theme 3: Good and Evil

Theme 4: Human Rights

 

Component (2) - 1 hour examination - Study of Christianity  = 25%

Christianity

The compulsory nature of this component ensures that learners know and understand the fact that the religious traditions of Great Britain are, in the main, Christian.

 

Beliefs and teachings

Areas of Study

The nature of God

Creation

Jesus Christ

Salvation

The Afterlife

 

Practices

Areas of Study

Forms of worship

Sacraments

Pilgrimage and Celebrations

The Church in the local community

The worldwide Church

 

                                                                                   

Component (3) - 1 hour examination - Study of Islam = 25%

 

All students will study Option 3: Islam

In this section, there is a focus on Religious Lifestyles, Beliefs and Practices.

 

Beliefs and teachings

Areas of Study

The Nature of Allah 

Creation

The Prophet Muhammad PBUH

Risalah (Prophethood)

The 5 Pillars of Sunni Islam

The Akhirah (Afterlife)

Malaikah (Angels)

 

Practices

Areas of Study

Islam in The World

Islam in Britain

The Umah (Community)

The Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam

Hajj

Festivals

 

Additional Information

In component 1, we will study 4 issues from the perspective of Christianity and Islam, with a focus on World views too (including Humanism. There is an opportunity for Students to answer questions from the perspective of their own faith, but due to the limited amount of time available (Philosophy & Ethics is taught for 1 hour per week) we will focus on the same 2 religions throughout the course.

There is no coursework for this qualification. it is a linear qualification and all assessments must be taken at the end of the course.

Members of Staff:

Mr R. Afzal – Head of Humanities and Teacher of History
Mr S. Aldis - Teacher of History/Assistant Principal
Mrs A. Patel - Teacher of History/Head of Year 11

Subject Overview

History fires curiosity and imagination, moving and inspiring pupils with dilemmas, choices and beliefs from the past. Pupils develop their own identities through understanding history and it helps them ask and answer questions of the present by engaging with the past.

As they develop their understanding, pupils evaluate important questions and evidence, identify and analyse interpretations of the past, and substantiate arguments and judgements they make.

History prepares pupils for the future, equipping them with knowledge and skills that are prized in adult life, enhancing employability and developing an ability to take part in a democratic society.

We We also offer trips to:

The Battlefield Tours, Ypres, Belgium (2 Days)

The Holocaust Memorial Museum