Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE)
Explore Big Questions. Build Confidence. Find Your Voice.
RPE at St Brendan’s is a weekly 45‑minute seminar for all students - but it’s nothing like a traditional lesson. There’s no homework, no exams and no pressure. Instead, students step into a space designed for curiosity, conversation and challenge.
Every week, students explore the big moral, philosophical and religious questions that shape our world today. They debate ideas, hear different perspectives and learn to articulate their own views with clarity and confidence.
What Students Say They Gain
Across the year, students consistently tell us that RPE helps them strengthen:
- Critical thinking - analysing complex issues from multiple angles
- Moral reasoning - understanding ethical dilemmas and forming principled judgements
- Debate and argumentation skills - making reasoned points, listening actively, and responding constructively
- Appreciation of diverse beliefs and worldviews - growing their religious literacy and cultural awareness
- Confidence communicating ideas - developing powerful oracy skills through discussion, dialogue and presentation
These are essential life skills - preparing students for university, work and active participation in a diverse society.
How RPE Works
RPE is structured like a university-style seminar: open, discussion-led and rooted in respectful dialogue. Each session is built around a thought‑provoking question such as:
“What makes a good person?”
“Is there a conflict between science and religion?”
“Should we always tell the truth?”
“What does it mean to belong?”
Students think, speak and collaborate their way through real human issues - from human rights to ethics, from spiritual traditions to contemporary social questions.
Our Curriculum Intent
The RPE curriculum is designed to:
- Develop ethical awareness and moral literacy, helping students understand themselves and their responsibilities in the world
- Build cultural and religious literacy, exploring major worldviews, beliefs and practices
- Grow reflective, informed and compassionate young adults
- Promote social justice, dignity, equality and the core values of the St Brendan’s community
- Encourage independent thinking, curiosity and a willingness to question assumptions
- Provide time for personal reflection and spiritual development, whatever a student’s background or beliefs
The curriculum follows a sequenced journey from exploring the self, society and human flourishing in Year 12 through to global responsibility, spirituality and ethical leadership in Year 13.
Oracy at the Heart of RPE (Voice 21 Framework)
RPE is a key part of how we develop student voice at St Brendan’s.
Every session nurtures oracy skills aligned to the Voice 21 framework, including:
- Physical - confident presence, posture and clarity
- Linguistic - using precise, thoughtful and increasingly sophisticated vocabulary
- Cognitive - structuring arguments, building on others’ ideas and reasoning logically
- Social & Emotional - listening attentively, responding respectfully and building confidence in speaking
Students leave RPE better able to express themselves - in classrooms, interviews, the workplace and wider life.
Why It Matters
RPE helps students grow not just academically, but personally and socially. It gives them:
- A safe space to question and explore
- A wider understanding of humanity and the world
- A stronger, more confident voice
- The ability to navigate diverse opinions with respect and empathy
Above all, RPE is where students learn to think deeply, speak powerfully and act with integrity.
