Religious Education
KS 3: Modelled on the ICONs Course
In Year 9 Pupils study a range of topics from the relationship between Science and Religion, the influence of power and authority in religion, the origins of difference Christian festivals and the Islamic Faith. Pupils find this year to be an exciting time of exploration on their own personal faith journey.
Years 10 and 11: The GCSE Years
Pupils all study to complete a full GCSE in Religious Education.
In Year 10 pupils investigate the authorship of the Gospel of Mark. As the earliest record of the life of Jesus this Gospel is of central importance for Christians to discover who Jesus is. Pupils study the Gospel to discover how Jesus caused conflict in Jerusalem. They also reflect upon what he expected of his disciples, the consequences of his death and resurrection and the message of his teaching through parables. At the end of Year 10 pupils take a GCSE exam which is equivalent to 50% of their full GCSE.
In Year 11 pupils learn about Christian thinking on a range of ethical issues including abortion and euthanasia, marriage and relationships, social harmony and religion wealth and poverty. Pupils also spend time thinking about why people believe in God and consider philosophical arguments for His existence. At the end of this year pupils complete their GCSE Qualification by sitting an exam worth 50% of their GCSE.
AS and A Level Teaching
The Religious Education Department has an extremely popular and successful AS / A Level Course. The OCR Course which is offered at St. Thomas More is divided into two halves, ethics and theology.
Students have the opportunity to study the Gospels of Mark and John in a new light, thinking in depth about their authorship and purpose in the early Christian Community. Students think about the different influences that were pervasive as the Gospel were written, and consider carefully what each author was struggling to understand about the person of Jesus.
In ethics students think about what the words ‘good', ‘bad', ‘right' and ‘wrong' mean. They begin to consider how people come to understand morality and investigate in detail different systems of ethical thinking, such as Utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics. In their second year of study pupils apply what they have learnt about ethical analysis to current ethical issues: Cloning, Environmental Issues, Sexual Ethics, The Ethics of War and Pacifism, IVF Treatments, etc. Pupils who study this course develop a high level of analytical skill and excellent debating technique. Many students further their development by completing analytical degrees such as Law, Philosophy and Theology at University.
NOCN 6TH Form RE Course
This is a course taken by all students. It comprises of a 6 6week courses each year. The purpose of the course is to ensure literate young adults who can think critically and can articulate their beliefs.
Courses include: Relationships in an adult world.
: Philosophy of Religion
: Prayer and Meditation
: Leadership
: Justice and the Arm's Trade
: Death and Dying
: The Acts of the Apostles