A student of philosophy is open-minded, willing to learn new ideas and has the ability to evaluate the views of others. As one of the oldest academic subjects in the world, it seeks to answer basic, ultimate questions about human life. This makes it one of the most relevant and forward-looking on the curriculum.
Course Offerings
| Course Title | Qualifications Obtainable | Awarding Body |
|---|---|---|
| Key Stage 4 Courses | ||
| Philosophy | AS Level | AQA |
| Key Stage 5 Courses | ||
| Philosophy | A Level | AQA |
| Philosophy | IB (Standard or Higher) | IBO |
| Year 9 | |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Content: | In Year 9, this includes a study of arguments for the existence of God, Free will and Determinism, and The Nature and Idea of God. |
| More Information: | AQA Website |
| Year 10 | |
| Curriculum Content: | In Year 10, this includes a study of Morality, Reason and Experience, and Tolerance. |
| More Information: | AQA Website |
| Year 11 | |
| Curriculum Content: | In Year 11, this includes a study of Personhood and Knowledge of the External World as well as revision of the work in Years 9 and 10. |
| More Information: | AQA Website |
| Year 12 | |
| Curriculum Content: | In Year 12 and 13, The International Baccalaureate Philosophy course includes:
The Philosophy of Religion
Ethics
It also includes modules on Personhood, a set text (for example Meditations by Descartes) and coursework. “Studying Higher IB Philosophy has taught me so much more than facts about theories and important people. It has provided me with the tools to think more analytically about everything I read, both in my school subjects and outside of school. Although debating occupies a large portion of our Philosophy lessons, we spend a lot of time improving on our writing style, in order to ensure our answers are always precise, succinct and well-argued. This is helpful when it comes to writing essays in other subjects, like English. I really look forward to Philosophy lessons because of the diverse range of topics we discuss. Philosophy also teaches us invaluable life lessons, in a way, because through analysing and critiquing ethical theories, we start to develop our own ethical codes. It is a really worthwhile, meaningful and enjoyable subject, so I highly recommend studying it.” -Leonie |
| More Information: | IBO Website |
| Year 13 | |
| Curriculum Content: | In Year 12 and 13, The International Baccalaureate Philosophy course includes modules on Philosophy of Religion, Ethics, Personhood, a set text (for example Meditations by Descartes) and coursework. There is also preparation for an unseen philosophy paper.
“Studying Higher IB Philosophy has taught me so much more than facts about theories and important people. It has provided me with the tools to think more analytically about everything I read, both in my school subjects and outside of school. Although debating occupies a large portion of our Philosophy lessons, we spend a lot of time improving on our writing style, in order to ensure our answers are always precise, succinct and well-argued. This is helpful when it comes to writing essays in other subjects, like English. I really look forward to Philosophy lessons because of the diverse range of topics we discuss. Philosophy also teaches us invaluable life lessons, in a way, because through analysing and critiquing ethical theories, we start to develop our own ethical codes. It is a really worthwhile, meaningful and enjoyable subject, so I highly recommend studying it.” -Leonie |
| More Information: | IBO Website |