Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking is unusual in that students do not study a book of knowledge, but rather develop a set of transferable skills which are applicable to their other disciplines and to their everyday life. It teaches students to examine arguments, spot flaws in reasoning, and assess the credibility and plausibility of claims. It is vital that young people can evaluate the wealth of information available to them in the world today, and Critical Thinking encourages them to discern the logical from the ludicrous and the certain from the certifiable.

Classes are taught in mixed ability sets for one double period a week. The Critical Thinking Department are from a variety of academic backgrounds- Mathematics, Philosophy, Theology and History- but each teacher is experienced in developing students' analytical and evaluative skills for use in the classroom and beyond. We study OCR AS specification.

Staff

AS Level

Critical Thinking is compulsory for all Year 12 girls but there is no option to continue to A2. The course is divided into two parts. The first, An Introduction to Critical Thinking, this introduces students to basic argument elements (including reasons, conclusions, evidence and examples) and develops their assessment of the credibility and plausibility of claims. The second, Assessing and Developing Arguments, covers more complex elements such as analogies and principles, introduces flaws of reasoning, and culminates in students producing their own structured arguments. These skills are easily applied to current affairs: last year students studied the controversy over the BNP's appearance on Question Time and analysed some of the (frequently flawed) arguments compounded in the Prime Ministerial television debates.