Religious Studies and Philosophy

Religious Studies and Philosophy embrace spiritual, existential, moral and social matters. They touch on themes and issues such as multicultural awareness, personal and social education, ecological matters, and political and philosophical outlooks. They demand skills of communication, information handling, organisation and evaluation. Teachers encourage listening as well as speaking and an open and questioning attitude among students.

These courses aim to provide a sound basis for girls to develop their ideas and attitudes in later life, whether or not they decide to pursue a specialist interest. The curriculum is continually adapted to meet the needs of girls who come from a variety of religious and non-religious backgrounds. The department also takes into account the QCA Framework for Religious Education in its planning and assessment.

Religious Studies is currently taught for two periods per fortnight during Years 7 and 8, three periods in Year 9 and to non-specialists in Years 10 and 11 for one period. GCSE students have four lessons per fortnight in Year 10 and five in Year 11. AS, A2 and IB students have eight lessons per fortnight. Philosophy and Ethics are also taught as part of the Sixth Form’s rolling programme.

In Year 7, girls study creation stories from different religions for the first two terms. The summer term of Year 7 and the whole of Year 8 are devoted to learning about some of the founders, prophets and teachers of major religious traditions. Year 9 comprises of an introduction to some aspects of Hindu, Jewish, Christian and Muslim belief and practice.

This provides a good background to GCSE study of Philosophy and Ethics for Religious Studies for those who choose to specialise. The non-specialist lessons cover similar topics, with the aim of allowing all girls to specialise, if they choose, in Religious Studies or Philosophy in the Sixth Form.

AS and A2 comprise Philosophy of Religion and Religious Ethics papers, which are a popular choice as they provoke critical thinking and enquiry about issues of perennial fascination and contemporary interest. Philosophy of Religion encourages us to question whether we can prove the existence of a Higher Being through reasoning or experience, and whether faith can give meaning to life or whether religion is merely a social phenomenon. Ethics is concerned with practical decision-making and the way people should conduct their lives. It also goes on to ask if there are any basic principles that we can apply in every situation, including issues of biomedical, environmental and business ethics.

IB Philosophy has recently been introduced and is currently taught at Higher Level. One of the reasons we study philosophy is to search for better understanding of ourselves both as individuals and as members of wider communities. Here too, special themes include the study of human nature, philosophy of religion and ethics.

Girls have access to a wide range of textbooks, posters and artefacts, video and DVDs on religious and philosophical topics, as well as the use of a very well-stocked library and Internet facilities, and the opportunity to attend lectures and conferences.