What is a sustainable future? Is there such a thing as life after death? Are criminals born or raised? To what extent were the actions of the Suffragettes acceptable? Personal Development and Religious Education represent one of the most diverse subject areas of The Dean Academy.

Our curriculum aims to link the local and personal with the national and international.   They are designed to develop a picture of a world open to interpretation and, as such, students are encouraged to adopt an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the world around them. At all times students are encouraged to be open-minded, tolerant and respectful of opinions different from their own.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Right to Withdraw from RPE

Parents/Carers have the statutory right under Section 71 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to request their child/ren are wholly or partly excused from:

• RPE lessons in accordance with the basic curriculum
• Acts of Collective Worship in schools

As parents/carers, you do not have to provide a reason for requesting the withdrawal. However before exercising any right of withdrawal we would recommend you contact the school to discuss your concerns. All requests for withdrawal should be made in writing, addressed to the Headteacher.

Important – limitations to withdraw

If pupils are withdrawn from RPE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur additional cost.  A pupil may be required to work in another area of the school, such as library/SSC.

Whilst parents or carers have a right to withdraw children from RPE, they should note that child/ren may also encounter religions and beliefs and wider aspects of faith in other areas of the National Curriculum from which there is no right of withdrawal.

On occasion, spontaneous questions about religious matters are raised by pupils or issues related to religion arise in other curriculum subjects such as history or PSHE. For example, schools promote community cohesion and help pupils to understand ideas about identity and diversity, feelings and emotions within both religious and non-religious contexts.

At GCSE, students can opt to study Religion, Philosophy and Ethics, a challenging and popular course which follows the AQA Religious Studies A modules. Students consider big questions and contemporary ethical dilemmas from a variety of views, including atheistic and religious views, and we study Christianity and Islam in order to support this discussion. This GCSE course allows students to develop their understanding of religion and ethics as they consider the impact both have on the world today. The subject is highly valued by Sixth Form centres, universities and employers and, in particular, will develop dynamic thinking skills, analysis and an ability to evaluate differing points of view.

Students enjoy the challenge and relevance of a course which examines controversial, important issues in modern society. We teach students to develop key skills which allow them to embrace and explore differing points of view and articulate their evaluative response. The teaching and learning in the classroom is varied and creative, allowing students to debate and reflect as they develop their own, justified opinions.