Friday 9th March 2012
Congratulations to Sarah Gardner who was crowned classical winner of Next Brit Thing 2012 earlier t...
Read full news story...Thursday 2nd February 2012
Charlie Vasiliou has reached the final of the Young Drummer of the Year competition, after fighting...
Read full news story...Tuesday 31st January 2012
The Department for Education published the school performance league tables this week....
Read full news story...Welcome to the Department of Religion & Philosophy
Four years ago the evolving Religion & Philosophy Department here at Yarm School decided to offer the Cambridge Pre-U examination in Philosophy & Theology, to complement the existing opportunity to study A Level Religious Studies.
The second cohort of pupils has just completed their Pre-U examination experiences. Last summer, the ‘pioneer four,’ all pupils who had been attracted to the subject by virtue of studying a course in the Philosophy of Religion in their third year, three of them following through with the former specification B at GCSE allowing them to continue this philosophical investigation into Religion and Ethics, demonstrated conclusively that this bold initiative was an integral step towards opening up a legitimate place for philosophical education within Yarm School.
Two pioneer pupils determined that they wanted to branch out into areas of Philosophy not available within Religious Studies. This choice has been emulated by two of this summer’s cohort of pupils. Their choice to study Philosophy of Mind and Epistemology has seen four pupils attain a distinction class and furnished three of the pupils with the requisite desire, passion and belief that studying Philosophy at University is a must. Phil Armitage is studying Philosophy with Politics at Sheffield, Jay Hewison is to follow Phil this year after his gap year and Guy Stokeld is to go on to Liverpool. Additionally, George Swannell, completing papers in Ethics & Philosophy of Religion, is to study Philosophy too.
This summer has seen the first of our Pre-U candidates, Jamie Torvaney, choosing to study Theology through opting for two papers in Biblical Studies. Analysing ancient religious texts sits well in a department that aims to bring both rational enquiry and faith stances to the discussion table. Jamie has yet to determine what his future path may be in terms of academia but talk of Theology or Oriental Studies in Oxford is a distinct possibility. One of our fifth year pupils, Dominic Abbott is studying, within timetable time, independently, on an analysis of Mark’s Gospel with a view to following through in the sixth form with New Testament exegesis with Epistemology.
In Yarm School we offer the unique opportunity to study whatever a pupil is interested in from the full range of Theology, Philosophy, Ethics & World Religions. We have just heard with great delight that a former pupil in our Department, Kate Beaumont, has attained a 2:1 Degree in Philosophy from York University. Kate has contributed to the work of the Department by offering her services as a Philosopher in Residence, enthusing younger pupils with a passion for Philosophy as a subject in school.
Changes within the structure of examinations at GCSE level leave us with the strong desire to offer AS Philosophy as a route for future Philosophers, uniquely in years four and five. We shall continue to offer GCSE Religious Studies, the rightful place for those wishing to explore World Religions. For those pupils interested in Philosophy of Religion we are able to accommodate this within AQA GCSE Specification B. We currently offer Unit 3, Philosophy, Ethics & Religion in Society & Unit 6, Religious Beliefs, Religious Authority & Religious Worship.
Seeking for ways of engaging young minds with thought through the use of media which arrest attention occupies a central place in our commitment of time and energy. The Curriculum Booklets which you can find on the school website by following the link through from Academic Curriculum set out what we have been doing last year. This year sees the launch of a new second year course entitled “THINK GLOBAL SCHOOL.” All three lower school years will be putting into practice the habits of mind agenda which we as a whole school community are fostering with a sense of pride in thinking about why we do what we do. Additionally, we see the launch of the IT’s Learning ICT drive for pupil autonomy in the use and application of materials available for working from at home as well as in school time.
Teaching Religion & Philosophy is an act of faith in the future: we bring paradigms of meaning from the past and seek to enquire into the validity or otherwise in genuine, existential encounter. The classroom is our laboratory for thought. We are an academic department, where head meets heart: we seek to encourage independence of mind, generosity of spirit and joyful camaraderie.
Our extra curricular programme is rich and varied. If you would like to know more about us, please e mail: jhn@yarmschool.org
