HEAD OF DEPARTMENT Mrs Nicole Pollock

Religious Studies is an important subject taught in all sections of the school.

In Junior School, the children examine and discuss their own place in the world through their understanding of themselves and their relationships with those close to them. The boys examine how ritual is used in their families to mark important events in their lives.

In Years 3 and 4, the boys examine each of the main world religions, focusing on buildings, festivals and rites of passage.

In Year 5, the boys study Christianity in depth, exploring the Bible and the main beliefs, festivals, ceremonies and places of worship.  They visit a local Church to bring their studies to life.

In Years 6 and 7, the boys study a selection of Old and New Testament narratives in order to prepare them for their public examinations in Year 8.  The boys also examine various ethical issues to develop their ability to explain their ideas about our complex world and to understand points of view different from their own.

In Year 8, the boys learn how to express their own ideas and how to argue their own points of view successfully.  They continue their studies of ethics, focusing on exclusion through race, gender, ethnicity, age or poverty.  At the end of Year 8, boys explore a religious tradition of their own choice, and are encouraged to share their discoveries with younger pupils.