This course is aimed at anyone who wishes to develop their understanding about the world in which we live. If you have ever had questions or opinions on world issues, the Religious Studies classroom is the ideal environment to share and discuss these. If you want to develop your skills, analyse current issues and enjoy gaining a GCSE, then this is the perfect course. You are not required to have any religious background to access this course, it is developed to support your understanding of the multicultural, diverse world, in which we live and applying this to ethical issues in modern day life. You will be challenged with questions about belief, values, meaning, purpose and truth, enabling you to develop your own attitudes towards religious and other world views.

You will also gain an appreciation of how religion, philosophy and ethics form the basis of our culture. Within the course you will also study other world views such as atheism and the humanist approach to life. You will develop analytical and critical thinking skills, the ability to work with abstract ideas, research, leadership and communication skills. All of which will help prepare you for further study and the world of work.

The course is split into three components:

Component 1: Religious, Philosophical and Ethical Studies

• This is broken down into four topics: Issues of Relationships (relationships, sexual relationships and issues of equality: gender prejudice and discrimination), Issues of Life and Death (the origin of the world, the origin and value of human life and beliefs about death and the afterlife), Issues of Good and Evil (crime and punishment, doing good and forgiveness, evil and suffering) and finally, Issues of Human Rights (humanity and their rights, social justice, prejudice, discrimination, and issues of wealth and poverty).

Component 2: Study of Christianity

• This is broken into two topics: Christian Beliefs and Teachings (The nature of God, creation, Jesus Christ, salvation, and the afterlife) and Christian Practices (forms of worship, the sacraments, pilgrimages and celebrations, Christianity in Britain and the role of the church in the local community and worldwide).

Component 3: Study of Islam

• This too is broken into two topics: Islamic Beliefs and Teachings (The foundations of faith, the nature of God, Risalah, prophethood, Malaikah (angels) and Akhirah (afterlife) and Islamic Practices (The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, Jihad: striving for rights, festivals and commemoration and the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shia Islam).

The course is 100% examined with no course work. There will be three exams at the end of Year 11.

• Component 1: 2 hour exam worth 126 marks
• Component 2: 1 hour exam worth 66 marks
• Component 3: 1 hour exam worth 60 marks

There are various Sixth Forms and Colleges around the local area where you can study A-level and BTEC qualifications. After studying GCSE Religious Studies you could study A-level Religious Studies at Sixth Form or College.

The skills that you develop from Religious Studies allow you to move in a variety of potential job opportunities such as; Business (especially international), Education, Counselling and Social Work, Journalism, Law and Medicine. A number of our students find that studying Religious Studies at GCSE and A-level have eased their transition into degrees reading Medicine and Law.