RS & Ethics


The department aims to support students in developing their own pattern of values and principles which will help them in the complex world in which they live.  In doing this we encourage students to reflect on their own spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Students will achieve these things through the study of religious concepts, beliefs and practices and will learn to interpret and respond to these things in their own way as they construct meaning in their own and others’ lives.

Key Stage 3

Year 7 follows the Navig8 curriculum and within that there are themes which reflect religious ideas and concepts alongside Geography and History.  There is a particular focus on exploring the Sikh community which is represented in Southampton.

Year 8 learn study skills to help them explore the many dimensions of religion so that they can make sense of the complex beliefs, practices and histories of the world’s major religions.  They then progress to exploring a major world religion and apply the tools they have mastered in the earlier unit so that they can break down a religion into its dimensions.  This will help them to identify and understand religious life as it is expressed all around the world.

Key Stage 4

All students follow the OCR course called Philosophy and Ethics leading to a Short Course GCSE.  The Short Course involves the study of some important ethical issues that affect individuals and society more generally.  Units include Medical Ethics, Religion and Human Relationships, Religion and Equality and Religion Peace and Justice.  Some of the themes within these units include sexual relationships and behaviour, contraception and the different forms that marriage can take.  Within Medical Ethics we explore the increasingly relevant topic of euthanasia.  Crime and punishment is a major theme in the Peace and Justice unit.