Religious Studies is taught throughout the Senior School. We aim to  encourage an open-minded, respectful and tolerant approach to the subject and hope to inspire students to have a passion for learning about the faiths of others, as well as the wider world encountered through philosophy and ethics. The approach to the material is academic, through investigation and analysis of the subject matter.

One of the strengths of Withington is the comfortable and positive environment, which is achieved through the harmony which exists between those of all faiths and those of none. We  study the major world religions, most of which are represented within the School community, and we value and welcome opportunities to learn from each other. The use of mobile devices is implemented into our lessons, as work is distributed on OneNote and students can use the collaborative area to share ideas. Aspects of the courses studied will challenge students to reflect on their own ideas and opinions about the wider world around them, whilst considering and evaluating the ideas of others.

Key Stage 3

Year 7 girls take an introductory course in the study of Religion, followed by discrete studies of Sikhism and Islam. In Year 8 girls will study Christianity and Hinduism. This will be followed by a unit of work on Ultimate Questions: the topics encourage girls to think philosophically about questions concerning the meaning and purpose of life. In Year 9 girls will explore Buddhism, before covering the basic principles of core ethical theories, and applying them to modern day dilemmas.

Key Stage 4 and 5

At GCSE, girls will build on their learning from Years 7-9 in their study of topical issues, considered from the perspective of different religions. These will include issues of war and peace, debates in medical ethics and crime and punishment. They will also explore the beliefs and practices of Christianity and Judaism. Girls in the Sixth Form will study Philosophy, Ethics and Religion, through the OCR A Level Religious Studies. This will involve a study of key debates in philosophy and ethics, as well as an in depth study of Buddhism.

“Learning about the different cultures and religions is great and the teacher takes on everyone’s ideas. It helps us to understand and learn about our friends and be closer to our form groups.”
A Year 7 pupil