Religious Studies

Religious Studies is a popular and dynamic discipline taught with enthusiasm and creativity. Highly respected as an academic subject, students are encouraged to be curious, independent and analytical in their evaluation of religious and philosophical traditions. Many girls go on to study philosophy of religion and ethics at A level and achieve excellent results, setting them in good stead for their undergraduate careers. Each year significant numbers of students go on to study Theology, Philosophy and Religious studies at university.

The department is well resourced, both in terms of the breadth of expertise of staff and the range of media through which pupils can access their studies. Lessons are taught in specialist rooms, with access to ICT, artefacts and a well stocked library, including relevant journals and magazines.

Staff

Year 7-9

A compulsory subject in these years, the schemes of study encourage girls to develop their understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition through studies of the Old and New Testaments, Jewish practice, the life of Jesus and the core beliefs of Christianity. They are then able to compare and contrast this tradition with other world religions through a study of Islam and Sikhism. In Year 9 the focus shifts to the major ethical theories, for example utilitarianism and situation ethics, and the application of these to the universal dilemmas posed by issues such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, and war and peace. Students then embark on an analysis of the nature of religion, considering critiques levelled by sociologists and psychologists such as Marx and Freud, and evaluate these with reference to a study Buddhism and Hinduism. The girls emerge with a sophisticated understanding of religion, well-prepared to embark on their GCSE study.

GCSE

Optional at GCSE, Religious Studies (OCR Syllabus B - Philosophy and Ethics) is a popular choice, in which pupils attain exceptional results. The course provides an introduction to philosophical inquiry and covers topics including the nature of God, the problem of evil and suffering and beliefs about the soul and the afterlife. In addition, Christian and alternative religious and secular responses to a range of challenging ethical debates are studied, most notably medical ethics, issues of equality and the portrayal of religion in the media. Girls not only gain academic benefit from the course, but also the ability to form and justify a line of argument, both on paper and in discussion, whilst understanding the importance of balanced evaluative skills.

A Level

At AS and A2 the Edexcel Religious Studies syllabus in Philosophy and Ethics covers philosophical arguments for the existence of God, critiques of religious beliefs, and ethical theories such as virtue ethics and Kant's categorical imperative. In Year 12 there is an opportunity to specialise in an area related to the study of philosophy, religion and morality and students thrive on the challenge of independent academic research, producing impressive papers. Popular topics include the mind/body problem, the sociology and psychology of religion and medical ethics. At A2 at anthology of text relating to an analysis of religious experience, the meaning of religious experience, the meaning of religious language (with reference to logical positivism) and the emergence of modern philosophy of religion are studied and their implications discussed.