Duchess School

The R.E. Department

Head, Heart and Hands forms the basis of the RE departments policy. Through thinking logically and independently about religious beliefs, appreciating what it must be like to be someone else, allows our students, to demonstrate the knowledge they have learnt and can act on their own beliefs actively.

In year nine RE we pose the question ‘why is there suffering in the world?’ We use this question to test religious truth claims, exploring which one has the most valid explanation. The department organizes visits from Buddhist Monks and Steve Frank, a Holocaust survivor. It is an amazing opportunity to have guests come and speak to the staff and students, as it further enhances students understanding of RE. This allows students the autonomy and freedom to talk directly to people who are involved and no doubt makes the study of RE much more invigorating and rewarding.

The GCSE course our students are given the framework to explore many different religious and non religious beliefs, allowing students, no matter what their religious affiliation or belief to have a voice and a role within the subject. Often the most inspiring RE thinking takes place within Community of Enquiry lessons in which students are given a stimulus, and from then on direct the lessons by using philosophical discussions and reasoning skills. This allows students the opportunity to solidify their own beliefs and worldviews yet, at the same time providing them with the tolerance to understand other peoples' views and the reasons they are motivated to direct their lives in this way.

Our aims:

The aims of the RE department are as follows:

To allow students to question their own world view, appreciate other peoples perspective.
To ask philosophical questions of the world around us.
To learn and develop their learning about RE through Head, Heart , Hands.
To respond emotionally and critically to the key learning experiences they are confronted with.

What’s on offer?

Short Course GCSE: God and Morality
Full Course GCSE: Truth and Spirituality
AS Philosophy of Religion
A2 Philosophy of Religion