Modern Studies at Ampleforth
Aims
This department hopes to develop in students an understanding of and enthusiasm for the issues which these subjects attempt to clarify. We set out to deliver the above subjects so that students obtain the highest grades possible relative to their potential. We recognise that students studying these subjects at Ampleforth have a wider range of abilities and differing learning problems.
The department sets out to serve sixth formers of all abilities and recognises that this will mean confronting the teaching and learning issues relating to literacy and numeracy as well as varying levels of intelligence. We aim to help students plan their work and develop independent reading. This should be facilitated by ensuring that staff and students are up-to-date with syllabus requirements and contemporary business, economic and political developments.
These subjects all have ethical issues at their centre. These issues will be approached from the perspective of the Christian community in general and the Catholic community in particular, but the department fully recognises the contributions made by other cultures, religions etc to social developments in Europe and elsewhere.
The department considers that these subjects have a special contribution to make in broadening the experience of students in a cultural sense as well as helping maturity by focusing their attention on issues which they will need to comprehend in adult life both to further their career prospects and to make them more useful people in the community, especially as consumers, producers and citizens.
In particular, the department will try to address the prejudices of students and attempt to get them to confront these prejudices in some major areas of modern life including issues relating to the rights of women, racial minorities, class and religious groups. The department will encourage students to learn to make positive judgements in the light of what is factually and objectively true. We will endeavour to enable them to recognise the failings of the market place as well as its role in the provision of prosperity.
The department will contribute to the broader development of pupils’ intellectual, and interpersonal skills, including key skills such as communication, numeracy and ICT but also broader skills of research, data handling, team work, decision making, problem solving and personal organisation.