Religious Studies

Students should ensure that they meet the entry requirements for the courses they are applying for (available on subject pages) as well as the overall entry requirements (5 grades at level 4 or above but must include English and Maths).

Students need to choose a minimum of three subjects to study, with a maximum of one subject per option block. Please note that all of our BTEC courses are single BTEC's and equivalent to 1 A Level, you will need to choose two further subjects if choosing a BTEC course.

Please ensure you have put contact details for yourself and a parent should we need to contact you.

Philosophy will change the way you think forever - Philosophy, ethics and religion is a popular fascinating course providing a rich and diverse study of the most highly debated questions of all: are we free? Does God exist? What happens when we die?

Our students consistently achieve A*, A and B grades each year, with the department achieving consistently high ALPS scores year in year out.

We are keen for students to shape their own learning and welcome independent work, ideas and revision strategies. We believe there must be an element of fun in lessons. In previous years this has included developing philosophically named drinks, lessons outside, music, video making, model building, whole class pictograms and much more to enhance the general classroom experience.

The OCR course studies a deep and interesting blend of subject matter and leads to an A Level in Religious Studies.

An open and enquiring mind with a willingness to examine issues in a rigorous and logical fashion. By the end of the course you will have honed your analytical and deep thinking skills having the ability to process a large amount of complex material in a quick and efficient way.

Philosophy of religion

• Ancient Greek influences on Philosophy including Plato and Aristotle.
• The nature of the Soul, mind and body
• Arguments for the existence and non-existence of God.
• Issues in religious language
• The nature and impact of religious experience
• The problem of evil and suffering

Religion and Ethics

• Normative ethical theories such as Kantian ethics, natural law and situation ethics.
• The application of ethical theory to euthanasia and business ethics
• Ethical language (metaethics)
• Conscience and free will
• Sexual ethics

Developments in religious thought

• Beliefs, teachings and ideas about human life
• Science and philosophy
• Gender equality
• Tolerance, justice and liberation theology

Beyond the classroom

Past activities have included:

• A trip to Keele University for an intensive revision course.
• A debating society, run by students where they compete with their self-chosen topics
• In the future we are planning to run a philosophy trip to London with grand plans to visit Athens, Greece where philosophy began.

Continuous assessment will be used to inform the students progression into Year 13.

Assessment is a written examination and there is one paper per unit, each being worth 33.3% of the total marks.

• Grade 5 or above in GCSE English Language or GCSE English Literature
• Grade 5 or above in Religious Studies if taken at GCSE

Students studying Philosophy, Ethics and Religion have gone on to have successful careers in: law, the civil service, the charity sector, medicine, journalism, the police force, personal management and academia. One former student has gone on to be a world-renowned Philosopher as an expert on Aristotelian Virtue Ethics. There really is no limit to what career you can choose and often world leaders have a grounding in the study of Philosophy, ethics and religion.