At Aldwickbury, we offer traditional religious studies teaching in Reception to Year 6, and go beyond this by offering theology, philosophy and religion (TPR) in Years 7 & 8.
RS and TPR at Aldwickbury combines the study of Christian beliefs with an exploration of world religions, broader theological, philosophical ideas and a brief introduction to philosophical history. This broad approach helps pupils understand diverse faith traditions, how to tackle ethical questioning and the origins of philosophical thinking.
The curriculum encourages critical thinking, teaching pupils to evaluate information carefully and reflect on big questions like “What is the purpose of punishment?” and “Is war ever justifiable?”. From stories and parables in the younger years to dedicated philosophy lessons in Year 8, TPR fosters open-mindedness, ethical awareness and above all else, empathy.
“Pupils explore world faiths, cultural traditions, and global issues with sensitivity and interest. Lessons consistently encourage appreciation of difference and shared values, fostering inclusion and social empathy.”
ISI Inspection 2025
Religious Studies & Theology, Philosophy and Religion Curriculum Overview
Our RS & TPR curriculum is designed to develop empathy, appreciation and understanding of different faiths and cultures, as well as developing critical and persuasive writing skills.
The overview below provides a glimpse into our RS and TPR curriculum at Aldwickbury, showing part of the rich and varied curriculum that pupils enjoy.
In the Pre-Prep, the focus is on stories, festivals and world religions, the curriculum is split between assemblies and discrete lessons in Years 1 and 2.
- Reception pupils learn the Aldwickbury values, which link to the values that underpin world religions
- Year 1 explore religious festivals such as Christmas, Harvest, Hanukkah and Diwali, as well as religious leaders, exploring their own feelings and places of worship
- Year 2 focus on the six major world religions as well as an introduction to Old Testament stories
- Study key beliefs, practices and ceremonies in Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam
- Explore Christian festivals, key Bible stories and the structure of the Bible
- Year 4 are introduced to philosophy in the summer term
- Junior pupils have one 35-minute lesson per week, plus assemblies to supplement learning
- Focus on Christianity, with emphasis on the Gospels and Gospel writers as a key theme along with key Old Testament stories to provide context
- Exploration of Islam and Judaism, highlighting the similarities and shared origins of the Abrahamic faiths
- Year 6 pupils visit the Cambridge Mosque to enhance their understanding of Islamic beliefs and practices
- Middle School pupils have one 35-minute lesson per week, plus assemblies to supplement learning
- Seniors (Years 7 & 8) move to our theology, philosophy and religion (TPR) curriculum with two 35-minute lessons per week, plus prep and exams
- Year 7 adopts a fresh approach to Religious Studies, encouraging pupils as budding theologians to critically explore the nature of God and religious texts
- Pupils debate whether faith and scientific understanding can coexist or are fundamentally opposed
- Study of Jesus’ miracles includes evaluating evidence and discussing beliefs about miracles in the modern world
- Year 8 focuses exclusively on philosophy, starting with Socrates and Plato, including Plato’s vision of a perfect society and the ‘Allegory of the Cave’ and its meanings
- Pupils explore David Hume’s Intelligent Design Argument, John Stuart Mill’s views on freedom and society, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of equality in 1960s America
- Ethical philosophy is studied through topics such as ‘Life and Death’ and ‘Punishment’
TPR in an Ever-Changing World
In a rapidly changing world where the concept of truth is becoming ever more fluid and as people increasingly turn to social media to consume content, we want to ensure that pupils learn to evaluate sources of information. We also teach our pupils to understand how the big tech and social media systematically target specific profiles with the purpose of gradually altering a person’s thoughts.
In Years 7 and 8, we look to arm our pupils with the skills they need to challenge fake news and instil in them a deeper understanding of where our ethics and morals come from and their links to faith. Above all else comes the theme of empathy, putting yourself in the shoes another human and trying to see things from their point of view.
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