RE

What are students taught?

  • In Key Stage 3 students are taught according to the Staffordshire Agreed Syllabus.
  • This means that they are asked to think about issues such as mysteries, feasting and fasting and the relationship between science and religion in Years 7 and 8.
  • Later, in Year 9 they think about BIGGER questions, such as; Does God Exist? Why there is evil and suffering in the world and death and the afterlife.

I’m not religious, though
So what! In RE students are encouraged to have an open mind and to voice their own opinions. It doesn’t matter if they don’t believe in God or disagree with religious viewpoints, as long as they can say WHY!
O.K. but RE isn’t a useful qualification to have, is it?
Again, Landau Forte Academy QEMS students disagree.

  • Students follow the OCR Philosophy and Ethics Religious Studies course if they opt for the subject.
  • In Years 10 and 11 over 60 students have chosen to study GCSE exams in Philosophy and Ethics, we cover units in
  1. Belief about deity
  2. Religious and spiritual experience
  3. The end of life
  4. Good and evil
  5. Religion, reason and revelation
  6. Religion and science
  7. Religion and human relationships
  8. Religion and medical ethics
  9. Religion poverty and wealth
  10. Religion peace and justice
  11. Religion and equality
  12. Religion and the media

In Years 12 and 13 over 40 students are studying for AS and A2 exams in Philosophy and Ethics

But RE is rubbish really isn’t it?

  • Landau Forte Academy QEMS students say NO!
  • Responses to students questionnaires and interviews have shown that large numbers of students feel that their RE sessions are valuable and interesting.

Three good reasons why we think Philosophy and Ethics is the best!

  1. It is highly interesting – Many Hollywood films are based on the concepts of philosophy and ethics, The Matrix, for example. Do we know anything, how do we know what is real?
  2. The skills and knowledge that you will develop through studying Philosophy and Ethics can help with a range of career options. Did you know Ricky Gervais has a philosophy degree!
  3. Descartes said: “I think therefore I am”. A Philosophy and Ethics course will get you thinking… According to Descartes….If you’re thinking then you exist! Do you need another reason to take Philosophy and Ethics?!