PCSA Options Booklet 2024 - 2026

RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Type of qualification: GCSE
Exam Board: AQA
Central Leader: Mr M Gray
Head of Subject: Mr M Gray
What will I study?
The course covers two main sections. You will study the beliefs and practices of Christianity and
Hinduism, which will allow you to gain an understanding into how religious teachings influence the lives of
religious followers in contemporary British society. This will include the study of what they believe and
why, how people worship and what people believe about related concepts such as the creation of the
world.
Secondly, you will study philosophical and ethical beliefs from a variety of religious and non-religious
perspectives. These exciting and topical units include the study of big questions such as: Does God exist?
Is war is ever acceptable? Should the death penalty still be used? Is animal testing still necessary despite
technological advances?
To do well you need to:
Be able to explain your reasons for your beliefs.
Be able to express your opinions and share your
ideas.
Be prepared to work hard and be enthusiastic
in lessons.
Be able to compare a variety of views.
Progression Pathways
A Levels: Religious Studies, Sociology, History, Law, Philosophy.
Studying GCSE RS will give you vital skills like: excellent communication and writing; how to construct an
argument; analytical, interpretation and evaluation skills.
Careers
People who study Religious Studies go on to careers in many areas such as education, the police and
armed forces, government and social work. However, any job which works closely with people can
benefit from the skills obtained from an RS qualification. These transferable skills are considered
favourably by many employers even if they do not link directly to religion.
How will I be assessed?
The course is assessed through two exams, both of which are sat at the end of Year 11.
Paper Length of Exam Content Included
Paper 1 1 hour 45 minutes Christian and Hindu Beliefs and Practices
Paper 2 1 hour 45 minutes Philosophical and Ethical Thematic Studies