Religious Education is an essential component of a broad and balanced education and is concerned with the deep meaning that individuals and groups make of their experiences, and how this helps them give purpose to their lives. It provides opportunities to explore, make and respond to the meanings of those experiences in relation to the beliefs and experiences of others as well as to one’s own experiences.
Religious Education and Ethics and Philosophy are taught in Year 7 and Year 8 as part of our broad and balanced curriculum. In Year 9 students start studies in RE that will lead to an eventual full course GCSE at the end of Year 11 as part of our core curriculum.
AQA GCSE Full Course (Year 9 – Year 11)
The aims of this specification are to encourage students to:
- Consider the influence of the beliefs, values and traditions associated with one or more religions.
- Consider religious and other responses to moral issues.
- Identify, investigate and respond to fundamental questions of life raised by religion and human experience, including questions about the meaning and purpose of life.
This specification offers a great way of engaging students in a modern and stimulating course by looking at relevant issue-based topics which are accessible to all students regardless of their faith or background.
The Perspective of Christianity and Islam is taught. Other world religions and beliefs may be addressed.
This specification offers a great way of engaging students in a modern and stimulating course by looking at relevant issue-based topics which are accessible to all students regardless of their faith or background.
The exam makes up 100% of the final grade. There is no coursework or controlled assessment.
All students will study the following eight topics:
Philosophy 1: Unit B601
Belief about Deity |
Beliefs about the nature of God/Reasons people believe and do not believe in God/Miracles in scripture/Miracles today |
Religious and Spiritual Experience |
Public and private worship/Prayer and meditation/Food and fasting |
Ethics 1: Unit B603
Religion and Medical Ethics |
Attitudes to abortion/ Beliefs about fertility treatment/ Attitudes to Euthanasia and suicide/ Animal rights |
Religion, Poverty and Wealth |
Beliefs about the causes of hunger, poverty and disease/ Religious views of poverty and wealth/ Concern for others/ Religion, poverty and wealth |
Philosophy 2: Unit B602:
Good and Evil |
Good and evil/ The problem of good and evil/ Coping with suffering/ Sources and reasons for moral behaviour |
Religion and Science |
The origins of the world and life/ People and animals/ Environmental issues |
Ethics 2: Unit B604
Religion, Peace and Justice |
Attitudes to war/ Beliefs about violence and pacifism/ Crime and punishment/ Beliefs about social injustice |
Religion and Equality |
What is equality?/ Attitudes to racism and gender/ Attitudes towards other religions/ Forgiveness and reconciliation |