Who are we?
Tom Bennett (Head of Philosophy, Head of Gifted and Talented)
What are our aims?
Have you ever sat quietly and asked yourself difficult questions? Like ‘are we really free?’ If you have, then you are philosophical by nature. But what is philosophy? Well, even The Oxford Companion to Philosophy says that most interesting definitions of philosophy are controversial, whilst Mastering Philosophy says there is “no straightforward definition”. But what most people agree on is that philosophy is about using rational argument and logical thinking to shine some light on life’s big questions. In doing so you’ll get a greater understanding of the world we live in, and of yourself. You might be thinking to yourself, ‘what’s the point of taking philosophy?’ Considering abstract subjects and applying them to everyday life will be personally useful, but it's also a very worthwhile skill in a number of career choices. Our aim is to turn smart people into great thinkers.
What we do in KS5
In the first year (AS) you’ll have an introduction to philosophy in two parts. Part 1 includes subjects like ‘The idea of God, and ‘Why should I be moral?’ Part 2 includes ‘Realism and idealism’ and ‘Free will and determinism’. This first year gets you into the mindset of philosophy, from where you can spread your wings and consider loftier subjects. In year two, the first study topic is ‘Key themes in philosophy’. Here you’ll shine a light on subjects like moral and religious philosophy, along with stuff like political philosophy. The second study topic is ‘Philosophical problems’, where you’ll get your head around some of the issues pondered by great philosophers over the years.
Click here>> to go to a series of support Powerpoint presentations.
How do we do it?
Students study four topics in the AS year, and three topics at A2, plus the text option. At Raine's Foundation we follow the AQA Philosophy syllabus. The subjects offered are designed to cover a broad philosophical spectrum; there is something to appeal to everyone. Teaching is by lectures, tutorials, group activities, debates, presentations- in many ways similar to the way you would learn in University. In the A2 year we run a successful week-long residential visit to Edinburgh, where students have the opportunity to discuss questions in the magnificent University with the Head of the Philosophy Department. In the AS year, students visit London based courses and conferences, and meet Philosophy students from across the UK.
How is my work assessed?
Classwork and progress are assessed in two ways: 1. Summatively- this means that your units will be assessed according to the AQA criteria, and marked against national standards. These assessments will also be accompanied by homework essays, which will be marked in the same way. Note that the Philosophy course is entirely examined- there is no coursework. Internal assessments will be purely to help the students, teachers and parents to understand how well the students are doing. 2. Formatively. Students will be given detailed analysis of where they need to improve and what they need to do in order to raise their standards.
What skills will I develop?
AS and A Level courses based on this specification will encourage students to:
- gain knowledge and understanding of philosophy through consideration of some important philosophical issues and approaches to problems;
- develop a rigorous approach, both critical and constructive, to the study of philosophy and the nature of argument;
- develop a set of transferable intellectual skills – including comprehension, interpretation, analysis and evaluation on other important aspects of human experience
- practise and enhance the ability to construct, develop and maintain clear and coherent arguments.
Will this course suit me?
It will if you're in any way puzzled about how the world really is; if you find yourself asking questions about right and wrong; if you think there's more to life than what most people think; if you aren't satisfied with the answers you've heard so far; if you want to expand your mind more than you thought possible; if you're brave enough to ask questions no one else seems to be asking. Or even if you just enjoy a challenge, and learning about an intellectual disipline that is older than any other subject, and fundamental to them all.
Where can it lead?
‘Philosopher’ is not the kind of job title you see down at the local job centre. But what philosophy does do is fine-tune your reasoning so that your enhanced intellect can be applied to other careers. Law, politics, the civil service, journalism, advertising, education ... these are some of the careers where your ability to turn abstract subjects into solid concepts will be highly regarded. And as a rigorous and academic subject it is almost universally welcomed as a good humanities qualification to have in order to support any undergraduate application.
How can I find out more?
Can’t wait to get started? Speak to Mr Bennett in year 11 in order to discuss what you could be learning. He'll be happy to supply you with resources and food for thought to get you started. In some exceptional circumstances students from year 11 have been entered for Philosophy through the G&T program. www.aqa.org.uk/ has more details on their website.
