Although there has been massive changes to the access of religious education around the world, the teaching and learning of religion shall not be stopped! Religious Studies is a very engaging subject and at BMS we deliver a curriculum which aims to promote the “spiritual, moral, cultural and mental development of all pupils”. In light of this we have taken the time to ask GCSE students how they are finding exploring religious studies online through Google Meet and Google Classroom. Here is what they had to say:

‘In my online learning in religious studies, I have enjoyed learning about religious beliefs surrounding wealth as part of one of our topics, and it has been interesting to learn how different religious groups tackle the issues of poverty and crime. The use of live lessons has really helped my understanding of the content and allow me to communicate in class discussions’ – Emily Allen, Year 11

‘I am finding live lessons for Religious Studies a lot better than independent work. With a teacher on the other end of the call it is so much easier to raise concerns and ask any questions when needed. I enjoyed learning about wealth and poverty the best, learning about all of the teachings and how other religions differ in beliefs about wealth and responsibility. I am very excited to go over theme c and the existence of God.’ – Natalia Evangelides, Year 11

‘I’ve enjoyed the live lessons a lot more than independent learning. Having Miss Falusi explain the topics we are learning helps to deepen my understanding of the topic and pick up on a wider range of key points. My favourite topic at the moment in theme F is prejudice and how different people gather different impressions on people based on first glance.’ – Eunice Yeboah, Year 11

‘I am finding online lessons very useful because it is a lot easier than completing tasks on our own, as we can ask our teachers any questions and it allows me to contribute during lessons. In religious education I enjoyed learning about the different attitudes to wealth in different religions. I am looking forward to learning about the design argument in Theme C as it seems very interesting.’ – Sharuka Sivadasan, Year 11

‘With this pandemic, school has been very different for all of us. It was very difficult to independently go through lessons without having Miss Falusi explaining it to us. However, with the live sessions it has made it much more easier. I am able to ask my teacher if I have any doubts and also contribute better in lessons. I enjoyed learning about the different religious attitudes to wealth, and am looking forward to studying philosophical topics in Theme C with the help of Miss Falusi!.’ – Thushya Sritharan, Year 11

Student feedback is crucial as it prompts students to reflect on teaching and learning and it highlights individual needs allowing tailored education for all of our pupils. As times continue to change, we hope that our great and effective online platforms and resources continue to support our students at BMS.

“The more reflective you are, the more effective you are.” – Hall & Simoral