Religion & Ethics

 Intent

 The Beaconsfield School’s Religion & Ethics program intends to channel students to analyse the foundation of belief, in such a way as to build tolerance, respect, and understanding of people and the world around us. Thus, building upon their own cultural and moral identity in British society.  

 “RE is the opportunity to explore a major and distinctive dimension of what it means to be a person: the search for meaning, purpose, and value in a wondrous but also often confusing and sometimes threatening world.” (The Buckingham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education, 2022) 

 The central aim of Religious & Ethics at TBS is to provide a stimulating, varied, and enriching learning experience to prepare pupils for life in a culturally diverse modern world. We aim to encourage enthusiasm for interest in the study of other people’s beliefs and promote mutual respect, tolerance, and understanding across different cultures and communities.

 To this end, pupils study the five of the six major world faiths as well as having the opportunity to explore alternative world views like humanism. In addition, themes under the spectrum of Philosophy and Ethics persist.  As well as learning the key beliefs, teachings, and practices of the different religions, pupils will consider the influence of these beliefs on the lives of adherents and apply beliefs and teachings to a range of ethical and philosophical issues.

 Fundamental to pupils' understanding of religion is the development of their religious literacy – achieved through the specific teaching of key terms and regular reading from a variety of texts. Religion & Ethics provides students with the opportunity to debate and discuss, enabling them to articulate their views verbally as well as develop their extended writing skills. Pupils are encouraged to research thoroughly, to weigh up evidence, to develop chains of reasoning, and to evaluate – articulating their responses using religion-specific terminology.