Religious Studies

The RS Department aims to teach ‘the Christian values which lie at the heart of the College’ and to furnish pupils with the ability and opportunity to explore the implications of belief socially, practically and intellectually.

About the Curriculum

The Lancing Religion, Philosophy and Ethics course, started in the Third Form, is completed in the Fourth Form. It continues to introduce, inform and stimulate enquiry into the deep and resonant questions humans have asked about themselves, the universe and their place in it.

Based firmly within the Christian ethos of the Woodard family of schools, we seek to educate our pupils in these main areas:
In the Third Form we study:

  • the truth claims made by the Christian faith and the forms in which these are embedded in the life and practice of the Church
  • the basic philosophical arguments for the existence of God; the problem of evil and related issues.

In the Fourth Form we study:

  • the making of moral decisions and the outworking of this thinking in some of the key areas of moral contention in the world today such as abortion, euthanasia and issues of sexuality
  • a broader consideration of other world faiths: either Islam or Buddhism.

To assess this there is a personal study, fully researched and referenced which will aid the development of independence in learning and writing.

Through this flexible and exciting RPE curriculum we provide pupils with the knowledge and the intellectual tools to enable them to respond critically and intelligently to the turmoil of the current religious, moral and political landscape.


Learning Approach

We utilise the full range of teaching and learning strategies in the subject. Structured discussions feature strongly, the pupils’ own experience of the ‘big questions’ which inevitably come up are valued as an important springboard and motivation for more advanced and critical thinking. For all things Christian there is our magnificent Chapel which stands as a permanent resource. Student access to technology is exploited for research and presentation purposes which opens up all sorts of collaborative possibilities. Inevitably there is strong focus on exam preparation (especially in the Fourth Form). Work set is varied and is geared to progress in understanding and expression.