About the Course:
Whilst in Sixth Form at SJP, all students are required to participate in a General RE course. This lesson is delivered by the RE department and will be a timetabled session for one hour each week. The course that is followed in Year 12 and 13 gives an opportunity for spiritual reflection, including an Advent and Lenten service in the College Chapel and the chance to examine moral issues through discussion and debate. The students also gain time for personal reflection and will be asked to get involved in charity work and service to their College and local community throughout the year.
Assessment:
General RE is an accredited course, through NOCN, so students will receive certification for its completion. Although there is no external examination, students are required to keep a reflective log, in the form of a booklet, that will be formally assessed twice throughout the year. Students’ attendance is also be part of the accreditation.
During the course students will look at the following areas:
Year 12
- Psycho geometric testing - can others test our personality?
- Human Rights: are Human Rights universal? Human Trafficking and Asylum (there will also be an opportunity for pupils to join the 6th form Amnesty group)
- Gender issues (including homosexuality)
- The meaning and purpose of life in Christianity and Hinduism
- Ethical dilemmas
- An understanding of the major world religions
- Sex education
Students will also get an opportunity to become involved in the Christmas Hampers Appeal and the Youth SVP
Year 13
- The Christian attitude to punishment, including the death penalty
- Suffering: why do we suffer and does this show that God does not exist?
- Human Rights: (building on work of Year 12) the Stephen Lawrence case
- The meaning and purpose of life and death in Buddhism (including an examination of karma)
- War and peace, including the Just War Theory and ‘Is it ever right tofight?’
- An understanding of how a religious life might affect moral decision making (including an examination of the life of Mother Teresa) Students will also be given an opportunity to become involved in Fair-trade campaigns and ongoing Cafod/Amnesty campaigns.
Is there anything else I need to know?
The skills that students will develop throughout the course will be marketable to any profession or further education: debate, enquiry, service, moral integrity, an ability to understand and respond to the beliefs and perspectives of others and to be community and globally aware. Students would be able to make reference to these in any personal statement or CV.