Theology, Philosophy & Religion (TPR)
OVERVIEW
Years 3 and 4 use Bible stories to understand morals and behaviour, as well as enjoying them for their own sake. Years 5 and 6 look at other religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Years 7 and 8 follow a syllabus, studying theology, philosophy & ethics.
CURRICULUM AND SYLLABUS
In Years 3-5, pupils have an introduction to the Judeo-Christian stories of the Bible, which have an impact on our cultural and literary heritage in the West.
In Year 6, pupils have an opportunity to explore different religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism.
Year 7 follows a theology syllabus based on the Judeo-Christian god’s relationship with humanity and humanity’s response to their god’s intervention. We also examine some well-known stories from the Old & New Testaments.
Year 8 looks at some philosophers, such as Plato, Hume & Stuart Mill, highlighting some important themes in their teaching. They also study important ethical issues: life and death, war and peace, punishment, justice and freedom, and the environment are all key considerations.
We collaborate with the History Department to take trips to Cleve Abbey and Salisbury Cathedral.
Pupils learn basic elements of logical argument and start to learn that many issues are complex, have dilemmas, and do not always have a right or wrong answer.
The lessons often contain discussion, so pupils learn how to listen and collaborate. This encourages higher-order thinking skills: to reason and think critically, and to assess where you are in your learning (metacognition).
