Religious Studies

Edexcel B (Short Course) 3RBO 1A-1G, 2A-2G Mrs E Smith

What will I need to know and be able to do before taking the course?

No prior knowledge is assumed, although you will benefit from having been through the Lower School Religious Studies programme; if you have come to Wells recently, the Religious Studies course you followed at Key Stage 3 or to Common Entrance will almost certainly have contained relevant material.

What will I learn?

The GCSE focuses on two religions: Christianity is the main religious tradition of the UK; Islam is the second largest religion represented in the UK, and an understanding of this faith is invaluable in the modern world. The qualification comprises two papers: Religion and Ethics, studied with a focus on Christianity, and Peace and Conflict studied with a focus on Islam. In each paper, the first section concentrates on key beliefs (eg God, life after death, nature of free-will, the problem of evil etc), and the second section on an 'applied' topic, where contemporary moral issues are considered in relation to key religious teachings.

Paper 1, Religion and Ethics, enables pupils to explore the following: Christian Beliefs; Marriage and the Family Paper 2, Peace and Conflict, enables pupils to explore the following: Muslim Beliefs; Crime and Punishment

How is the written part of the course structured and assessed?

The course is taught for three periods per fortnight over two years supplemented by prep. Some preparation will also be done during Trinity Term in Year 9. The course is assessed by final examination with two 50 minute papers, one on Christianity and one on Islam. The course is supported by subject-specific textbooks and a wide range of other resources including artefacts, audio and visual materials and ICT.

What Sixth Form subjects will this course be useful for?

Most! Clearly Religious Studies (although it is not a requirement), but also the Humanities and English, because it develops transferable skills such as analysis, comprehension, explanation and evaluation.

What were the religious studies GCSE examination results like last year?

98% of candidates who took the GCSE course achieved grade 9-4, with 53% at grade 9-7, and 87% at grade 9-5.