Skip to content ↓
Meadowhead School

Meadowhead SchoolAcademy Trust

Ethics at KS4

This is a core subject and all students study Ethics at Key Stage 4.  In year 9 they have two hours of ethics a week.  In year 10, they have one hour a week.  There is also an option for year 9 students to study Religious Studies GCSE.

What will I do on this course? (September 2018)

This course has been specifically designed to meet the statutory requirements for Citizenship, PSHE and Religious Education, as well as providing a rounded education, with topics not covered by other aspects of the school curriculum.  The course also introduces students to some of the skills and ideas present in Philosophy, Sociology and Psychology A Levels, thus preparing them for Post-16 education.

Year 9:

Prejudice (including homophobia, sexism, class prejudice and prejudice towards religion); financial wellbeing (including the minimum wage, budgeting, savings, banks, credit cards, debt management); Crime & Punishment (including young offending, youth courts and youth prisons), Peace and Conflict (pacifism, just war theory, terrorism); Sex education (including STDs, contraception, HIV and grooming); Drugs education (the risks, the law, the effects)

Year 10:

Islam, multiculturalism & radicalisation; Human Rights & poverty (including the UN declaration on Human Rights, the rights of the child, work of charities, fair trade); Health education (Sex education, cancer, mental health, self-esteem, body image, self-harm, depression, anxiety, smoking)

Year 11:

Ethics and Life Issues (abortion, euthanasia, treatment of the elderly, the environment, animal rights); Citizenship, Voting & Elections; Drugs and Health Education (stress management, mental health, causes of drug taking); Sex & Relationships Education (date rape; control; exploitation; pregnancy)

How will I be assessed?

There will be no formal assessment of this course.

What skills do I need?

  1. To participate actively in each lesson.
  2. An ability to argue for and against points of view.
  3. To give your own opinions, with reasons.
  4. To be prepared to be up to date with the news and the live issues in today’s society.

Where do I find out more information?

Contact: Miss Shea, Mr Lawrenson, Mr Timms

Any other essential information?

The course develops students’ critical thinking and demonstrates their abilities to think for themselves, and articulate a point of view clearly with use of evidence and example.

AQA GCSE Full Course Religious Studies Syllabus A (8062) 

What will I do on this course?

Year 9-11:

We will focus in particular on two religions, Christianity and Sikhism. We will study their beliefs and practices, and how the religion influences people and communities.

We will also study the following themes according to the following scheme of work, and consider religious and non-religious perspectives on them.

Year 9:  Crime and Punishment; Peace and Conflict.

Year 10: Human Rights and Social Justice; Relationships, Families and Sexuality.

Year 11: Abortion, Euthanasia, Animal Rights and Planet earth.

How will I be assessed?

You will take 2 exam papers of one and three quarter hours each. One will cover the two religions, the other the above themes. There is no coursework element to this course.

What skills do I need?

  • To participate actively in each lesson.
  • An ability to argue for and against points of view.
  • To write extensively about an issue, giving information and developing arguments and examples.
  • To give your own opinions, with reasons.
  • To be prepared to be up to date with the news and the live issues in today’s society.

Where do I find out more information?

Contact: Ms McCaffrey, Miss Shea, Mr Timms

What students say about the course:

“I like to find out things about other people and the way they live. It helps you to develop your own philosophy of life.”

“If you’re interested in ideas and open minded enough to hear and appreciate other people’s views, you will enjoy this course. It makes you feel special.”

This is a highly respected qualification, which develops students’ critical thinking and demonstrates their abilities to think for themselves, and articulate a point of view clearly with use of evidence and example. For this reason, it prepares students very well for a wide range of careers and courses, in particular A Level Philosophy, Sociology and Psychology, which are offered at Meadowhead.