PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Year 9 Course Outline

Over the last two years, parts of our exciting Year 9 curriculum has been revamped to take account of pupils’ interest in philosophy and debating. The main theme of this year’s study is learning how to debate, sourcing information correctly using empirical methods, examining PRS’ links with other academic subjects such as Science and History, and debating topical ethical issues in the news.

• An Introduction to Ethics (half term) – the pupils will learn that debating is more than just sharing random ideas on a particular thorny issue but instead will learn that ethical dialogue needs to be reasonable and persuasive. They will look at issues such as the death penalty and other ethical issues of their own choice.

• Religious and philosophical responses to the Holocaust (one term) – pupils will look at the causes of the Second World War and the ways in which Jews were treated by the Nazi regime. They will look in particular at responses from Jews who survived the concentration camps.

• Exploration of Good and Evil through the books of Harry Potter

Year 10 Course Outline

We follow AQA Religious Studies Specification A and pupils are required to answer questions from the following two papers:

• Buddhism

• Christianity

Years 11 Course Outline

We follow AQA Religious Studies Specification A and pupils are required to answer questions from the following two papers:

• Study of Buddhism and application to moral issues

• Study of Christianity and application to moral issues

Skills Required and Developed

• Knowledge and understanding of two religions, their beliefs, practices and ethics

• The ethical and philosophical beliefs of these two religions. Examples include arguments for the existence of God, concepts of life and death, capital punishment, equality between men and women, abortion and euthanasia.

External Assessment

Both modules are sat at the end of Year 11; there is no non-examined assessment.

Beyond the Classroom

Years 10 and 11 are invited to the fortnightly D and I meetings, plus there is a trip to Auschwitz memorial camp in October for Year 10.

Further Information

Dr R Richmond, Tel 023 9236 0036, Email r.richmond@pgs.org.uk