By Mr R. Dallas, Teacher of TEP

The pupils really have had a fantastic term and I have yet again been astounded and delighted at their progress, opinions and participation.

Year 5:
The Year 5 pupils have been doing a series of lessons entitled ‘How does a Christian show commitment to God?’ where they have been gradually ‘unpacking’ this question week by week through the investigation of various stories and religious lessons that, when adhered to, demonstrate dedication and commitment for Christians.

Year 6:
Pupils in Year 6 have been exploring ‘Islam’ where we have been learning about how the 5 Pillars, the story of Muhammad and various other religious traditions, shape a Muslims life and faith. We have also been recognising the many similarities between Islam and Christianity as both (along with Judaism) are part of the ‘Abrahamic faiths’. Establishing these links has been very useful in allowing the students to develop a ‘multicultural’ point of view when considering the different traditional world faiths that are practised in our society.

Year 7: Illustration and analysis of the story of Zacchaeus

Year7:
Year 7 pupils have been learning about the key events and teachings of Jesus Christ to gather an understanding of how these stories and messages have impacted, and continue to impact, our culture. They have also considered the societal value of these spiritual and moral messages. They have considered that despite originally being gospelised to address issues in a Roman ruled Middle-Eastern region 2000 years ago, they still manage to hold immense importance and utility in today's society in which we live. This included a project/presentation on the works of the Salvation Army to gain an understanding of their mission statement of ‘Faith Into Action’.

Year 8: Labelling the symbolism of a Christingle

Year 8:
The Year 8s have been following a series of lessons designed to allow them to investigate the significance of Christmas for Christians. This has involved them identifying the many similarities and crossovers of religious symbolism/traditions with that of the secular symbols and customs. They have also participated in a small project where they have considered the other ways in which Christmas is celebrated in other parts of the world and have drawn comparisons of these to our own culture. In addition to this, Year 7 & 8 Philosophy sessions have proved to be a valuable and insightful method for providing the students with some higher order thinking activities in addition to their R.S. work. One such session was all about ‘expression’ where we considered when and where in Earth's history this skill set started for humans by looking at some ancient cave paintings. We also considered how expressing ourselves is not only a joy and a privilege but also something that must at times be done responsibly.