Philosophy and Religious Studies at Malvern
In years 9 and 10 (Foundation Year and Remove) pupils follow a course in philosophy of religion and applied ethics to GCSE. All year 9 pupils follow the same course and in the Remove, depending on a pupil's set, he or she will enter for the OCR Specification B 'Short Course' or 'Full Course' GCSE. Some pupils, who require extra support in English, follow a non-examined course in the Remove.
In the Sixth Form Philosophy is taught at GCE Advanced Level and International Baccalaureate Standard Level.
The A-level Course comprises a number of units taken from core areas of philosophy including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of religion and moral philosophy. A set text is followed, giving pupils the opportunity to engage with a key thinker such as Descartes, Hume or Nietzsche.
The IB course comprises the study of a core unit, "What is a human being", a unit on the theories and problems of ethics, the study of a set text - Descartes' Meditations - and practical work. A notable feature of the IB course its its emphasis on doing philosophy.
Universities and employers recognise the value of philosophy as a challenging academic discipline which allows students to develop their critical and analytic skills. Above all, the subject allows students to engage with fundamental questions and the answers offered by great thinkers, while developing, formulating and articulating their own responses in the process.