The Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE) curriculum seeks to develop students’ understanding and critical engagement on issues that are pertinent to understanding humanity and their own place within the world. The purpose of the curriculum is to cultivate student respect and empathy for a diverse society and for them to identify shared values, develop their own understanding of identity-in-difference and to facilitate inclusion and recognition of the needs of each individual student. 

The subject is taught by experienced specialist teachers who aim to provide opportunities for young people to engage with relevant contemporary and challenging questions that impact on all our lives; questions about faith, meaning and purpose, truth, existence, morality, equality and diversity.  All students up to and including Year 11 are taught RPE. 

Co-Curricular Opportunities 

• Trip to see the Life of Christ Passion Play 
• Student led lunchtime clubs.

KS3 (Years 7 – 9) 

Year 7 - students explore identity, Sikhism, Humanism (as a comparison study to Sikhism) and human rights and social justice. 

Year 8 – students explore key Christian beliefs, an introduction to applied ethics, and engage philosophically with the question, are we free?  

Year 9 - students study Hindu beliefs and practices, different academic ethical theories, crime and punishment, key beliefs and practices of Islam, and different views on life after death. 

Core RPE: KS4 (Years 10 – 11) 

All Year 10 and 11 students, including those taking the GCSE course, have one compulsory RPE lesson a fortnight. The course is based on discussion of specific topics such as contraception and sex, gender equality and diversity, environmental ethics and animal rights. 

RS GCSE (Years 10 – 11) 

In Year 10, the course focuses on Christianity and in Year 11, Judaism. During the two-year course, students explore a variety of philosophical and moral subjects such as evolution, death, terrorism, sex, justification of the existence of God.  For more information on the GCSE course, download our GCSE Options Guide. 

RS A-Level (Years 12 – 13) 

The Religious Studies A-Level course develops intellectual abilities important for life. It enhances analytical, critical, and interpretive capacities that are applicable to any subject and in any human context. Students are challenged with a rigorous curriculum aimed at academic growth and intellectual creativity. The course comprises of the following components: 

1. Philosophy of Religion: Arguments about the existence or non-existence of God, the nature and impact of religious experience. 
2. Religion and Ethics: debates surrounding the significant idea of conscience, sexual ethics and the influence on ethical thought of developments in religious beliefs. 
3. Development in Religious Thought (Christianity): Significant social and historical developments in theology and religious thought, key themes related to the relationship between religion and society. 

For more information on the A-Level Religious Studies course grade requirements, download a copy of the Sixth Form Prospectus and for more information on the course content, download a copy of the A-Level Options Guide.