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Coombe Dean School

Coombe Dean School

Philosophy and Ethics / Religious Studies

Philosophy and Ethics involves the exploration of wide-ranging topics and their effect on the human race.  We explore the beliefs held by a variety of people and how these beliefs impact on the daily lives of communities.  Experiences common to most of us are visited, origins of practice investigated, influences on behaviour identified and benefits to individuals/communities celebrated.  Why humans behave as they do and the consequences of decisions made in daily lives are at the heart of our lessons.
Religious Studies (GCSE) looks in detail at the beliefs, teachings and practices of Islam and Christianity.  Those are then applied to a variety of topics – what do religious communities teach about these topics and how do religious believers interpret holy texts in context of the topics?  Students are encouraged to question, explore, investigate and compare in each topic, to ensure a thorough understanding of all content.

Year 7 

Year and Term Scheme of Work Brief Description
Year 7 Term 1 Beliefs and Concepts Students will explore the concept of God within Christianity. They will then examine the concept of a religion without a God by exploring at Buddhism.
Year 7 Term 2 Rights and Responsibilities Students will look at Human Rights and explore how significant figures within religion helped support human rights around the world.
Students will explore Christianity and Sikhism.
Year 7 Term 3 Spirituality Students will explore how the 6 major world religions use artwork to express spirituality. Students will then produce a piece of work that they can enter into the NATRE Spirited Arts competition.

 

Year 8 

Year and Term Scheme of Work Brief Description
Year 8 Term 1 Equality Looking at events that have discriminated against people specifically to do with religion. During this module student will look into the Holocaust and the Caste System. Students will explore Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism.
Year 8 Term 2 Science and Religion Students will look at creation and evolution and how they can work together and against each other. Students will then look at some medical ethics and how religion can support or contradict modern medical breakthroughs. Students will explore Christianity, scientific viewpoints, Humanism and Buddhism.
Year 8 Term 3 Authority Students will explore where religions get their authority from. Students will explore Christianity and Islam.

Links to useful websites:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zh3rkqt

Core Philosophy and Ethics  Year 9 

All students will do core Philosophy and Ethics. Currently, we are remodelling core, so these modules may not be what students complete during the year.

Year/Rotation Module
Year 9 Rot 1 Morality
Year 9 Rot 2 Treatment of Animals
Year 9 Rot 3 Multicultural Britain
Year 9 Rot 4 What is Terrorism?

Core Philosophy and Ethics  Year 10 

Year 10 Rot 1 Medical Ethics
Year 10 Rot 2 Human Relationships
Year 10 Rot 3 Media and Religion
Year 10 Rot 4 Hinduism

Core Philosophy and Ethics  Year 11 

Year 11 Rot 1 Life after Death
Year 11 Rot 2 Festivals
Year 11 Rot 3 Citizenship
Year 11 Rot 4 Study Leave?

KS4 – GCSE Option

AQA 8062 Syllabus A – full course GCSE – samples of work and supportive material can be found on the AQA website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/religious-studies/gcse/religious-studies-a-8062

Students will sit two exams, Paper 1 dealing with “Beliefs and Teachings” and “Practices”, Paper 2 dealing with the four “Thematic Studies” selected. Each exam is 1 hour and 45 minutes.   Our lessons will give the students the opportunity to debate and discuss, write, watch relevant clips and film shorts, and to produce detailed investigation work on the various themes or aspects of, to enhance their learning.  50% of the examination requires students to know and understand religion and belief systems and 50% requires the students to analyse and evaluate aspects of religious belief.

Term Module
Year 9 Term 1 Christianity: Beliefs and Teaching
Year 9 Term 2 The Existence of God and Revelation
Year 9 Term 3 Christian Practices
   
Year 10 Term 1 Islam: Beliefs and Teachings
Year 10 Term 2 Religion, Peace and Conflict
Year 10 Term 3 Islam: Practices
   
Year 11 Term 1 Religion, Crime and Punishment
Year 11 Term 2 Religion and Life
Year 11 Term 3 Revision

Links to useful websites:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zb48q6f

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/