Courses
We offer a broad and balanced curriculum, for key stage 3 (Years 7-9), key stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) and key stage 5 (Years 12 and 13 - Sixth Form). Click the appropriate button below to find the details for each subject offered in each key stage.
Further details of our curriculum are available on the curriculum page.
Overview
Religious Studies
Introduction
Philosophy will change the way you think forever. Philosophy, ethics and religion is a popular, fascinating course providing a rich and diverse study of the most highly debated questions of all: are we free? Does God exist? What happens when we die? How do we make the correct moral decisions?
Our students consistently achieve A*, and A grades each year, with the department achieving high scores, year in year out.
We are keen for students to shape their own learning and welcome independent work, ideas and revision strategies. We believe there must be an element of debate and discussion in lessons. In previous years we have introduced diverse learning strategies that include: developing philosophically named drinks, lessons outside, music, video making, model building, whole class pictograms and much more to enhance the general classroom experience. We are also very keen to support your memory of the key course content and use retrieval activities in every lesson.
This course studies a deep and interesting blend of subject matter and leads to an A-level in Religious Studies.
Qualification
A-level
Awarding body
OCR
Course leader
Mr C Steadman-South
Assessment
- Examination: 100%
- 33.3%: Component 1, philosophy of religion, 2 hours.
- 33.3%: Component 2, religion and ethics, 2 hours.
- 33.3%: Component 3, developments in religious thought, 2 hours.
- Non-examined assessment: 0%
Curriculum
Topics
- Philosophy of religion
- Ancient Greek influences on Philosophy including Plato and Aristotle.
- The nature of the Soul, mind and body.
- Arguments for the existence and non-existence of God.
- Issues in religious language.
- The nature and impact of religious experience.
- The problem of evil and suffering.
- Religion and Ethics
- Normative ethical theories such as Kantian ethics, natural law and situation ethics.
- The application of ethical theory to euthanasia and business ethics
- Ethical language (metaethics)
- Conscience and free will
- Sexual ethics
- Developments in religious thought
- Beliefs, teachings and ideas about human life
- Science and philosophy
- Gender equality
- Tolerance, justice and liberation theology
Skills and requirements
Entry requirements
- Grade 5 in GCSE English language.
or
- Grade 5 in GCSE English literature.
or
- Grade 5 in GCSE religious studies.
Skills required
Students require an open and enquiring mind with a willingness to examine issues in a rigorous and logical fashion. By the end of the course they will have honed their analytical and deep thinking skills having the ability to process a large amount of complex material in a quick and efficient way.
Beyond the classroom
Past activities have included:
- A trip to Keele University for an intensive revision course.
- A debating society, run by students where they compete with their self-chosen topics.
- In the future we are planning to run a philosophy trip to Athens, Greece where philosophy began.
Future pathways
Students have gone on to have successful careers in: law, the civil service, the charity sector, medicine, journalism, the police force, personnel management, education and academia. One former student has gone on to be a world renowned philosopher as an expert on Aristotelian virtue ethics. There really is no limit to what career you can choose and often world leaders have a grounding in the study of philosophy, ethics and religion.
The highly sought after 'soft skills' are the main stay of this course where you will learn to form complex opinions, debate challenging ethical issues, process large bodies of information in a quick, logical manner.
