Religious Studies helps young adults to develop their own beliefs and values and it enables them to make informed decisions with respect to the world of religion, morality and ethics. Moreover, it equips them with a wide range of life skills that may be transferred to a whole host of life situations and personal and public contexts (e.g. Communication skills, listening skills, logical reasoning skills, empathy etc).
he God or Gods we worship are more a part of us than we realize....Only by understanding how in our own minds we have defined their nature can we begin to understand the underlying forces that make us behave the way we do... David Anderson
On a personal level, Religious Studies endeavours to encourage students to reflect upon their actions and to constantly review these and their opinions in the light of their own feelings and experience of the world around them.
Through the department's commitment to the fundamental philosophy that students from any belief system and none are equally entitled to respect, it is envisaged that the provision of R. S. in school will serve to nurture a spirit of mutual acceptance and collective social responsibility.
Management and staffing
The department is staffed by a team of seven, some specialist and other enthusiastic and well-motivated staff from the Humanities Department, led by Frances Hardwick, the Head of Subject, within the Humanities Department.
Students who choose to do the GCSE course follow the AQA Specification B and as part of this all students attend 5 lessons per cycle in year 10 and 4 lessons per cycle in year 11.
Lessons are equitably divided between the study of Philosophical and Ethical Issues, with Christianity and Hinduism being the two religions studied. The two papers studied are 'Religion and Life Issues' and 'Religion and Morality.' There is no coursework.
In the Sixth Form
The A' Level course follows the AQA Specification and covers Philosophy of Religion, Religion, Art and the Media and a synoptic essay paper. As part of this, all students attend 8 lessons in lower 6th and 8 lessons in upper 6th.
The IB course (Philosophy Standard) consists of two units: 'What is a human being and the Human condition' and Philosophy of Religion, plus coursework. For the Higher, students study in addition Political Philosophy and a Philosophical Skills Paper.
Setting arrangements
In year 7 pupils are taught in form groups. In years 8 and 9 pupils are taught in hierarchical sets in line with their English setting. At GCSE students are taught in hierarchical sets too.
Assessment
At the end of each unit pupils will do a common end of unit assessment; in practice this will mean for Key Stage 3 pupils three assessments per year. In years 8 and 9 pupils will in addition do an end of year exam.
At all stages students are shown what they are aiming for in terms of National Curriculum levels and examination syllabuses. They are given opportunities to think through and use assessment criteria for themselves, for example by sometimes assessing each other's work, such as a presentation or a practice exam answer. Teachers give feedback to pupils in marking and individual advice in class in order that each student knows how to improve.
For GCSE students there is regular testing all though the course, with exams at the end of year 10 and a mock exam in December of year 11. In the sixth form students have regular essays and other tasks set, such as research, class presentations and note taking.
Extra curricular
The department organises a number of day visits: year 8 pupils have an opportunity to visit the Bhaktivendanta Manor Hindu Temple in Hertfordshire. Year 9 pupils have an opportunity to visit the Jewish Museum in London and hear a first-hand account of a Holocaust survivor. Year 10 students have the opportunity to visit the Salvation Army Training Centre in Hadleigh. Lower Sixth students visit the National Gallery in London.
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Self study
Students are expected to organise their work independently and meet all deadlines. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for planning, drafting and proof reading their work. In addition there are many websites students could use.