“The unexamined life is not worth living.”Socrates

Religious Studies is a vibrant core subject at King’s Ely which is studied by all students in Years 9 to 11. The purpose of the subject is to enable students to engage with fundamental existential questions, such as ‘What is it to be human?’, as well as contemporary ethical debates, from war and terrorism to euthanasia and sexuality. Our teaching philosophy is centred on collaborative enquiry, meaning that students are enabled to formulate their own open-ended questions and to acquire philosophical and ethical literacy.

There is a significant uptake in the Sixth Form, where students study Philosophy, Ethics and Religion. Students study Religious Studies alongside both arts and sciences subjects, and many students who study this subject go on to Oxbridge to read both degrees in science and a range of arts subjects, including PPE. This is an excellent subject to take if students are considering a career in Medicine, owing to its exploration of contentious ethical issues.

Religious Studies contributes significantly to cross-curricular themes of PSHE and Citizenship, and King’s Ely is a Partner School of the National Holocaust Centre. The subject challenges students to arrive at their own conclusions by weighing up the value of diverse views, including both religious and non-religious responses such as Humanism.