Religious Studies pupils expand their knowledge during places of worship trips

Wednesday 26th July 2023

Second Year Religious Studies pupils listen to a talk during a trip to a Mosque

During the Summer term, Religious Studies pupils visited different places of worship to expand their knowledge of the subject and find out more about different religions.

Gita Bhavan Hindu Temple

Third Year pupils headed to the Gita Bhavan Hindu Temple for a “fascinating and intriguing” religious and cultural experience.

Before visiting the temple, the girls and boys made sure that they understood the traditions associated with the religion – such as sitting in rows on the floor, meditating in the lotus position (crossing their legs on top of each other) and taking their shoes off.

Upon entering the venue, the pupils were wowed by the shrines and altars that were dedicated to one or more Hindu deities. One pupil commented: “I appreciated how much effort was put into the love and care for the deities and how they signified the Hindu story with love and compassion.”

Pupils were intrigued to see how other people viewed the world, what they thought happened after you died in this world and how we could make this world better for the next generation. A number of them noticed some similarities with Buddhism, but also many differences.

Another pupil concluded: “We learned a lot about Hinduism and its philosophy – it was an eye-opening experience for many.”

Cheadle Masjid

Second Years made the short journey to the Mosque in Cheadle as they learnt more about Islam.

During the trip they completed lots of fun and informative activities such as learning how to write their names in Arabic, the five pillars of Islam like charity (Zakat) and pilgrimage (Hajj/Haji) and the faith in general.

Reflecting on the trip, pupil Isaac Groombridge said: “I was excited to learn about other religions because I am of the Christian faith. You could tell how seriously people of the Islamic faith take their praying. Most of my friends at SGS are Muslim and they put their religious practices into action in their daily life.

“I can have good conversations about our separate religions, and can agree on the differences and similarities on an intellectual level. I have a high respect for them that they learn another language as a part of their faith and I make sure I ask lots of questions.”

Lola Ferris added: “When I entered the Mosque, I felt an overwhelming sense of calm and relaxation. As we sedately walked around the areas of the building, we were given a different talk or insight into life at the Mosque. The whole visit was thought provoking, super interesting and fascinating!”