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Religious Studies

Our aims in the Religious Studies Department are quite simple; to create a space in which pupils can continue, or in some cases begin, their own faith journey.  We work in an environment that allows pupil to ask Big Questions about the world around them.  A challenging syllabus of work allows pupils to respond objectively to different religious beliefs and reflect on the impact that has on their own beliefs. 

We encourage pupils to live out the school motto of showing our faith by the way we live by:

  • Fostering individual care and concern for all members of the community.
  • Encouraging the pursuit of of excellence through a broad-based curriculum.
  • Offering opportunities for service and responsibility.
  • Developing links between school, home, parish and the community.
  • Providing opportunities to experience God and spirituality through prayer, worship and quiet time for reflection.

Our motto from Year 7 through to the Upper Sixth is ‘Think like a theologian, talk like a theologian, write like a theologian.’ We want our pupils to show critical thinking, strong knowledge and the ability to analyse difficult concepts objectively.

Lower School

At Key Stage 3 pupils follow the Archdiocesan study programme ‘People of God’. This includes topics that allow students to explore and debate Christian and secular beliefs and answer questions including:

How do stories help us to understand?  What made the universe?  How does God show love?

What do we know about the life of Jesus?  What do Hindu’s believe about life and death?  Who was Mohammad? 

During Year 7 pupils are also given an opportunity to learn about the life of Blessed Edmund Rice and the global work of the Christian Brothers in the world today.

GCSE

The EDUQAS GCSE specification in Religious Studies provides an opportunity for candidates to build upon the foundation laid by the Lower School syllabus and allows candidates to continue their study of Religious Education from the earlier Key Stages including:

  • Component 1: Foundational Catholic Theology, Origins and Meaning, Good and Evil     
  • Component 2: Applied Catholic Theology, Life and Death, Sin and Forgiveness
  • Component 3: Jewish Beliefs, Teaching Practices   

A Level

The Religious Studies and Theology Specification followed is designed to support a course of study, which is suitable for candidates from all religious backgrounds or none. The course covers the following topics:

Religious Ethics: Natural Law, Situation Ethics, Kantian Ethics, Utilitarianism, Kant, Meta Ethics, Conscience, Applied Issues – Business Ethics, Sexual Ethics 

Philosophy of Religion: Ancient Philosophical Influences, Soul Mind and Body, Arguments for the Existence of God, Religious Experience, The Problem of Evil, The Nature of God, Religious Language

Developments in Christian Theology: Augustine on Human Nature, Death and the After Life, Knowledge of God, The Person of Jesus, Christian Moral Principles, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Religious Pluralism and Society, Gender and Society, The Challenge of Secularism, Liberation Theology   

All students in Sixth Form participate in a General Religious Studies course which includes outreach working with younger pupils in the school, project and chaplaincy work.