GCSE Religious Studies
GCSE Religious Studies covers a range of the major world religions, six contemporary ethical themes and two textual studies, ensuring you and your students have a diverse choice of intriguing subjects to explore.
Students will be challenged with questions about belief, values, meaning, purpose and truth, enabling them to develop their own attitudes towards religious issues. Students will also gain an appreciation of how religion, philosophy and ethics form the basis of our culture. They will develop analytical and critical thinking skills, the ability to work with abstract ideas, leadership and research skills. All these skills will help prepare them for further study.
GCSE Religious Studies is made up of two components:
- The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices
- Thematic studies
How it's assessed:
- Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
- 96 marks, plus 6 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG)
- 50% of GCSE
- Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
- 96 marks, plus 3 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG)
- 50% of GCSE
In Year 10, students study the following topics:
Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices
Beliefs, teachings and practices of two from:
- Buddhism
- Christianity
- Catholic Christianity
- Hinduism
- Islam
- Judaism
- Sikhism.
- Christianity and Catholic Christianity is a prohibited combination.
In Year 11, students study the following topics:
Component 2: Thematic studies
Either four religious, philosophical and ethical studies themes or two religious, philosophical and ethical studies themes and two textual studies themes.
Religious, philosophical and ethical studies themes:
- Theme A: Relationships and families.
- Theme B: Religion and life.
- Theme C: The existence of God and revelation.
- Theme D: Religion, peace and conflict.
- Theme E: Religion, crime and punishment.
- Theme F: Religion, human rights and social justice.
- Textual studies themes:
- Theme G: St Mark's Gospel – the life of Jesus.
- Theme H: St Mark's Gospel as a source of religious, moral and spiritual truths.