Faculty of Humanities

Religious Education

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Guide to GCSE Religious Studies (AQA)

Every student will be given the opportunity to gain a short GCSE in Religious Studies. They will follow the AQA short course which explores many of the questions that teenagers ask about religion and raises many of the issues that concern them, e.g.

Where does evil come from?
Is there a God?
How do we decide what is right or wrong?

The short course breaks down as follows:

Part A

Thinking about God
Origins of the Universe
Arguments for and against the existence of God
The problem of suffering
The problem of evil
The nature of God
Revelation

Part B

Thinking about Morality
Ways of making moral decisions
Prejudice and Discrimination
Relationships
Global issues

Where possible there will be visiting speakers and trips to places of religious significance. Students will be asked to cover transport costs for such trips.

There will be no coursework but homework will be set as appropriate. The examination will be taken at the end of Year 11 and will consist of 1 paper.

This course can lead to A Level Religious Studies and is recognised as beneficial to those planning to join the world of work and those planning to enter Higher Education. It replaces both the full time GCSE course and the Religious Education non-examination course.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from Religious Education lessons. If your parents should wish to exercise this right, they are required to express this wish in a letter to the Head clearly stating the grounds for the withdrawal. These grounds must be largely religious in nature and must arise from the religious convictions of you and/or themselves.

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