Religious Studies 

What will I study in Year 10?

In Year 10 you will learn about two of the religions that form part of the religious and beliefs in Great Britain: Christianity and Islam.

Christian Beliefs:

• The nature of God - omnipotent, loving and just, and the problem of evil and suffering

• The oneness of God and the Trinity

• Beliefs about creation and the afterlife

• Jesus - his incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension

• Sin, salvation and atonement

Christian Practices:

• Different forms of public and private worship

• The role of prayer and the sacraments

• Christian pilgrimages and celebrations (especially Christmas and Easter)

• The role of the Church in local communities

• Evangelism and Church growth

• How the Church works globally for social justice

Muslim Beliefs:

• Articles of faith in Sunni Islam and roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam

• The importance of Tawhid (the Oneness of God)

• The nature of God

• The significance of angels

• Predestination and free will

• Akhirah (life after death), heaven and hell

• Sources of authority, including prophets and holy books

Muslim Practices:

• Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam

• Shahadah (declaration of faith) and its importance in Muslim practice

• Salah (prayer) and its importance to Muslims

• Jummah (Friday prayer)

• Fasting during Ramadan

• The importance of charitable giving

• Hajj - the pilgrimage to Makkah

• Different understandings of jihad

• Muslim celebrations, including Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr and Ashura

What will I study in Year 11?

In Year 11, you will investigate four religious, philosophical and ethical themes, where religious teachings are evaluated alongside other perspectives.  These themes will be:

Relationships & Families:

• Sex, marriage and divorce:

  • Human sexuality

  • Contraception and family planning

  • Nature and purpose of marriage

  • Same-sex marriage and cohabitation

  • Ethical issues concerning divorce

• Families and gender equality:

  • Nature and purpose of families (including different types)

  • Contemporary family issues

  • Traditional and contemporary male and female roles and issues about gender equality and discrimination

Religion & Life:

• Origins and value of the universe

  • Religious teachings about the origin of the universe

  • Value of life on Earth, and the duty of people to protect it

  • Use and abuse of the environment and animals

• Origins and value of human life

  • Religious teachings about the origin of human life

  • Sanctity of life and quality of life

  • Ethical issues about abortion and euthanasia

Religion, Peace & Conflict:

• Religion, peace, violence and war

  • Understanding key terminology

  • Religious teachings about violence (including violent protest), terrorism and war

  • Reasons for war, including the Just War Theory, and the concept of Holy War

  • Pacifism

• Religion and belief in 21st Century conflict

  • Religion and belief as a cause of war

  • Weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons

  • Religion and peace-making, and religious responses to victims of war

Religion, Crime & Punishment:

• Religion, crime and the causes of crime

  • Understanding different causes of crime

  • Religious and non-religious views about crimes and their perpetrators

• Religion and punishment

  • Different aims of punishment, including retribution, deterrence and reformation

  • Treatment of criminals

  • The role of forgiveness

  • Religious and non-religious beliefs about the death penalty

How will I be assessed?

You will sit two examination papers:

Paper 1: The Study of Religions

• 105 minute examination, worth 50% of the GCSE

• Two sections - Christianity and Islam

• In each section, you will answer a series of questions about beliefs and practices

• There will be a range of question styles, from multiple choice, to short answers, to extended prose.

Paper 2: Thematic Studies

• 105 minute examination, worth 50% of the GCSE

• Answer 4 questions (from a choice of 6 themes)

• There will be a range of question styles, from multiple choice, to short answers, to extended prose.

The examination board is AQA, and the specification code is 8062.  You can see the full specification here.