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Philosophy and Ethics

Objectives in Philsophy and Ethics

Learning Journey

Key Stage Three:

At KS3, Philosophy and Ethics is taught once a week. It covers the content of the Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Studies, whilst also providing an opportunity for students to learn about philosophical and ethical theory and apply this to key world issues. Philosophy and Ethics at Ibstock School encourages students to consider a range of worldviews on important issues and understand how their own views fit into this. They will develop key skills, such as the ability to argue and justify their opinions, as well as consider the validity of arguments.

Exploring religious and non-religious beliefs makes up the philosophy side of the subject. Students are taught to make sense of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs and teachings, understand the impact and significance of religious and non-religious beliefs, and make connections between religious and non-religious beliefs, concepts, practices and ideas studied. During the key stage, students will learn about the beliefs, teachings and practices of the six main faiths of the UK: Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism and Buddhism. They will also be taught about non-religious beliefs, including Humanism, atheism and agnosticism.

Exploring morality and justice make up the ethics side of the subject. In KS3, students are introduced to the theory of ethics and how to apply this to world issues such as: climate change and the environment; life after death; abortion and the death penalty. This allows students to develop the skills in order to ask and answer some ‘big questions’ about the world today. Students are encouraged to link their philosophical knowledge with their understanding of ethics in order to consider a wide range of views about world issues.

Year 7
Philosophy and Ethics in Year 7 helps students gain core knowledge and understanding of religious and non-religious beliefs and practices. This core knowledge provides the foundation from which students build upon in Years 8, 9 and at GCSE. They will also consider the importance of laws and democracy and will explore how laws are made, supporting their understanding of British Values.

Term 1: Are laws the only rules that people should live their lives by?

Term 2: How are religious beliefs put into practice?

Term 3: What difference does it make to be non-religious?

Year 8
Philosophy and Ethics in Year 8 provides an opportunity for students to begin to consider some of the ‘big questions’ in Philosophy and Ethics, such as the existence of life after death and why a God (or Gods) would permit evil and suffering in the world. It also introduces students to ethical issues through exploring attitudes towards the environment, including pollution, natural resources and animal rights.

Term 1: Is there such thing as life after death?

Term 2: Why is there suffering in the world?

Term 3: Why is it important to care for our environment?

Year 9
Philosophy and Ethics in Year 9 provides a platform for students to explore ethical theory in greater depth and detail, such as exploring thought experiments like the Runaway Train and discussing utilitarianism, absolutism and relativism. They are then able to apply this learning to moral issues such as abortion, the death penalty and if it is ever right to go to war. To complement this, students will also consider religious and non-religious views on these issues. This encourages students to develop their own opinions on these moral issues and consider reasons for their views. Students end the year and Key Stage by exploring the importance of tolerance, diversity and respect within the community, looking at religious and non-religious views on religious freedom, gender and sexuality, disability and wealth. This also supports students understanding of British Values.

Term 1: Ethical Issues

Term 2: Is it ever right to go to war?

Term 3: Our Community

At KS3, students are assessed three times a year, at the end of each topic. Assessments contain 4 sections: recall, literacy, Philosophy and Ethics core skills and exam-style questions. To help students prepare for each assessment, every topic contains a minimum of two Exam Skills Lessons, which provides dedicated time for students to practice their exam technique and receive feedback, as well as revision. Assessments will be followed up with a minimum of one feedback lesson to help students identify their strengths and work on their targets in order to progress.

Key Stage Four:

At KS4, students have the option to study Philosophy and Ethics. When chosen as a GCSE option, students’ study five lessons per fortnight and cover the AQA GCSE Religious Studies Specification A.

This course allows students to build on their knowledge, learning and skills gained at KS3, and encourages them to think about philosophical and ethical issues in greater depth.

Year 10
In Year 10, students will cover Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices. We will study two religions: Christianity and Buddhism.

  • Christian beliefs and teachings
  • Christian practices
  • Buddhist beliefs and teachings
  • Buddhist practices

In Year 10, students are assessed at the end of each topic. They will also have a PPE (mock exam) in the summer term. To help students to prepare for these, every topic contains a minimum of two Exam Skills Lessons, which provide dedicated time for students to practice their exam technique and receive feedback, as well as revision. Assessments will be followed up with a minimum of one feedback lesson to help students identify their strengths and work on their targets in order to progress.

Year 11
In Year 11, students cover Component 2: Thematic Studies. Students cover 4 out of 6 possible themes. The themes that we study are:

  • Relationships and Families
  • Religion and Life
  • Religion, Crime and Punishment
  • Religion, Human Rights and Social Justice

In Year 11, students are assessed at the end of each topic, as in Year 10. They will also have a PPE (mock exam) in the Autumn term. To help students to prepare for these, every topic contains a minimum of two Exam Skills Lessons, which provide dedicated time for students to practice their exam technique and receive feedback, as well as revision. Assessments will be followed up with a minimum of one feedback lesson to help students identify their strengths and work on their targets in order to progress.

For students who do not opt to study Philosophy and Ethics at KS4, RE content is delivered during Tutor Time and Assemblies, for example, looking at religious festivals and human rights.