Religious Studies

Theology, Philosophy and Religion are, we believe, a vital under-pinning to any education. As thought-provoking and academically rigorous subjects in their own right, they offer both a breadth and a depth of learning that is unparalleled but in addition to that they challenge pupils to consider the very nature of their existence, its origins and its possible meanings.

As a school with a Christian tradition we concentrate on Christian Theology in our studies but it is certainly not taught in an evangelical manner and the emphasis is very much on pupils being able to form a coherent and substantiated argument rather than encouraging them to accept a particular point of view. This is supported by teaching staff who have a genuine love and great knowledge of the subjects and who continue to learn and to develop their own ideas at every opportunity.

What skills will my child develop?

• Pupils develop investigative skills.

• The importance of evaluation and debate is taught, emphasising the value of evidence-based arguments.

• Pupils develop a greater sense of empathy, developing the power of imagination to identify feelings such as love, wonder, forgiveness and sorrow.

Helpful Resources

• Encourage your child to read beyond the classroom and find out more about religions or societal attitudes

• Discuss current affairs with your child. Explain how actions around the world can impact a variety of different people.

• Watch documentaries or programmes that explore differences between individuals.

• Visit places of cultural importance, such as places of worship or sites of historical significance.

• Read through your child’s homework or class books, challenging their assumptions and supporting them at times of confusion.

Sam Brown Head of Religious Studies

In the Theology and Religion component, pupils study the beliefs, teachings and practices of a religion in depth, considering its philosophical foundations as well as its external appearances. This is a fascinating opportunity to explore the beliefs that have shaped the modern world. We will study the beliefs of another religion, allowing us to compare and contrast the different world views. At this stage pupils will produce a project based on one of the five major religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Sikkhism.

In Philosophy, we begin by looking at what the subject is and examine a philosophical question such as how we can decide what is right and wrong as well as questions around how we decide which societal rules to follow.

Pupils learn the etiquette of debate and the importance of accepting other people’s viewpoints. We study the key philosophers and look at the question of morals, stereotypes, the existence of evil and the arguments for and against religion.