GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES

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AQA SPECIFICATION

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This course is part of the core curriculum studies here at Upton Hall. It provides a worthwhile course for candidates in terms of general education and lifelong learning.

 

Aims

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It encourages pupils to:

• Acquire knowledge and develop understanding and consider the influence of the beliefs and values and traditions associated with Christianity.
• Consider religious and other responses to moral issues.
• Identify, investigate and respond to the fundamental life questions of life raised by religion and human experience – the meaning and purpose of life.
• Develop skills relevant to the study of religion and in particular, the Roman Catholic Tradition.

Assessment Objectives

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Candidates must demonstrate their ability to:

• Recall, select, organise and deploy knowledge relevant to the course of study.
• Describe, analyse and explain the relevance and application of Christianity.
• Evaluate different responses to religious and moral issues, using relevant evidence and argument.

Scheme of Assessment

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This comprises of 2 written papers 1 hour 30 minutes each, 80% of the marks and 2 pieces of coursework, 20% of the marks.

 

Option 1C – The Christian Life and St Mark’s Gospel.

This option provides an opportunity for the study of aspects of Christian belief and practice with specific reference to the Person and Ministry of Jesus, as presented in St Mark’s Gospel.

 

This option will be studied during the course of Year 10 and we would hope to have one piece of coursework, pertaining to this option, completed.

 

Throughout the year we will undertake to set assessment tests at the end of each unit studied, using past paper questions.

 

A revision task, or series of tasks will be set towards the end of the year prior to the summer examinations.

 

Homework will be set on a regular basis either, reading, learning or written tasks being set.

 

If possible we will begin to study the second option paper before the summer vacation.

 

Candidates should have knowledge and understanding of the origin of the gospel, of the specified themes and of the way in which modern beliefs and practices have been drawn from the Gospel account.

 

The following themes will be studied: -

• Authority
• The person of Jesus
• Suffering, Death and Resurrection
• The Christian Community
• The Kingdom of God
• Faith and Prayer
• Discipleship
• Leadership
• Worship
• Baptism

Option 2B – Effects of the Roman Catholic Tradition upon Aspects of Christian Lifestyle and Behaviour.

 

This option will be studied during the course of Year 11. The remaining piece of coursework we hope to complete before Christmas.

 

End of unit assessment tests will be set using past paper questions.

 

Revision booklets will be offered for pupils to purchase and extra revision sessions will be made available to the candidates.

 

In this section candidates need to be aware of the distinctive effect of the Roman Catholic tradition. Candidates will be expected to make full use of their knowledge of and understanding of the Biblical passages specified and credit will be given for the relevant use of additional Biblical material.

 

The following themes will be studied: -

 

Christian Values –

• The Ten Commandments
• The Sermon on the Mount
• Features of Discipleship

Christian Response –

• Justice and Reconciliation
• Crime and punishment
• Prejudice and Discrimination
• War and Peace

Personal issues related to the Sacraments such as

• Christian lifestyle and behaviour
• ideal of marriage
• responsible parenthood
• contraception and abortion
• marital breakdown and annulment
• vocation –religious and lay ministries
• attitudes to sickness and healing
• death and life after death
• euthanasia.

Core Subjects

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