PRS at RUGBY HIGH SCHOOL

PRS Department Vision Statement

The first aim of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Rugby High School is to inspire in our students a life-long curiosity, about the ideas that have shaped our world, that will propel them to keep asking questions and to really enjoy their pursuit of discovery. The second aim is to equip our students with the skills and the confidence to enable them to thrive. We hope to enrich our students’ understanding, not only of the major world religions, but also the philosophical and ethical principles that underpin a wide range of beliefs, whether they are religious or secular.

Students are encouraged to participate in dialogue, to enable self-expression, reflection and ultimately, personal growth. PRS draws upon its multidisciplinary links to philosophy, theology, and the human and social sciences, to investigate different worldviews and to consider the meaning and value of concepts, such as truth and justice, in a variety of different contexts. We want our students to engage with the issues that really matter to each of them, and in the wider world today. The core question which lies at the heart of this endeavour is: what difference does it all make in the world?

Philosophy & Religious Studies is part of the core curriculum at RHS. All our students will study the subject from years 7 to 11. Students have additional opportunities to study Religious Studies at GCSE and A level in order to extend and deepen their knowledge and understanding of philosophy, theology and ethics, and enhance their analytical and critical evaluation skills, as well as their ability to formulate and critique arguments.

Year 7 PRS

Course content:

• Introducing Philosophy & Religious Studies 
  • looking at contributions from theology, philosophy and the human sciences
• Judaism 
  • interpreting its history, identity & tradition through scripture
• Basic Christianity
  •  investigating the development of the world’s largest religion through key events, key concepts and key figures
• Peace & Reconciliation 
  • Christianity’s local living legacy?

Example assessments:

Autumn term - “It is better to have too many laws than to have too few” Discuss
Spring term - “A miracle is an act of God” Discuss
Summer term -  “Forgiveness is the best response to the bombing of Coventry” Discuss

Year 8 PRS

Course content:

• Hinduism

  • Investigating key ideas in Hinduism, including Hindu theism, reincarnation and karma, the caste system, and Gandhi’s role in India’s independence struggle

• Sikhism

  • Investigating the development of Sikhism and its contribution to debates about equality

• Animal Rights

  • Investigating the moral status of non-human animals in religious and non-religious ethical theories (Utilitarianism, speciesism), with focus on the use of animals in clothing, medicine, and entertainment.

Example assessment:

Autumn term - “Non-violence is the best tool for liberating the oppressed.” Discuss
Spring term - “The best way to share gold with the people is to build them a golden temple.” Discuss
Summer term - “It is wrong to keep animals in captivity.” Discuss

Year 9 PRS

Course content:

• Challenges to Belief: Science and the Problem of Evil

  • Investigating the challenge to religious belief posed by scientific theories about the origin of the universe (the Big Bang theory) and life (evolution by natural selection), and the problem of evil and suffering.

• Buddhism

  • Investigating the origins and key teachings of Buddhism and its non-theistic answer to the problem of suffering. 

• Islam

  • Investigating the development of Islam, its connection to other Abrahamic traditions, and the revelation of the Qur’an to the prophet Muhammad

Example assessment:

Autumn term - “Religious beliefs are incompatible with scientific discoveries." Discuss.
Spring term - “Buddhism is a Philosophy, not a Religion” Discuss.
Summer term - "The message of the Qur’an is best understood in its original Arabic form." Discuss. 

 

GCSE PRS

Examination board: Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B

Introduction to the subject at GCSE

The GCSE Religious Studies course will not only develop your knowledge and understanding of religion in the 21st Century: it will also enrich your understanding of the world you live in. By exploring both religious and secular perspectives in contemporary social and moral debates, your critical thinking skills will be tested and your world view will be challenged! The course requires students to grapple with controversial issues and asks you to really think about the wider implications of different beliefs and practices for the human experience. These are some of the questions you might be asked to think about:

• Is it ever ok to end a human life?
• What does gender mean in the 21st Century?
• Is there such a thing as necessary evil?
• When is it ok to start a war?
• What’s wrong with idolatry?
• How should criminals be treated?

Why choose this subject for GCSE?

The course aims to equip you with valuable skills that allow you to stand out as an independent thinker. Philosophy & Religious Studies helps to prepare students for a diverse range of future careers: from those requiring sensitivity towards others, to; those requiring an ability to challenge the way other people think. Here are some examples: law, journalism, medicine, social work, teaching, nursing and creative industries.

Course content:

Paper 1 - Religion and Ethics, based on the study of Christianity, covering:

1. Christian Beliefs
2. Marriage and the family
3. Living the Christian Life
4. Matters of Life and Death

Paper 2 - Religion, Peace and Conflict, based on a study of Islam, covering:

1. Islamic Beliefs
2. Peace and Conflict
3. Living the Islamic Life
4. Crime and punishment

Method of Assessment

100% exam (2 papers)

 

A Level PRS

For details of our A Level PRS Course, click here