Onward Learning

Year 10 pupils will be asked to choose one of two routes for Religious Studies in Years 11 and 12: either full GCSE or a Short Course in GCSE Religious Studies.
The aim of both courses is to encourage students to develop an enquiring, critical and sympathetic approach to the study of religious and moral issues.
The full GCSE course will have an allocation of seven periods of study per week (if selected with English Literature) or eight periods per week.
Note that the Short Course will only have three periods per week and does not have to be selected from one of the boxes on the form.

There are three distinct parts to each course.

(a) Challenge of Jesus – extracts of the Gospels are studied to explore aspects of the life and teaching of Jesus.

(b) Christian Church – various aspects of the Church are explored through contrasting denominations.

(c) Christian Morality –
a range of moral issues are studied in relation to moral principles in personal and social life.

For the Short Course pupils cover exactly half the Full GCSE Course

Full GCSE –

There are two exams at the end of Year 12 to give 80% of the marks.

Sections (a) and (b) are examined in a two hour paper and section (c) in an hour and half paper.

The final 20% is gained through two pieces of Coursework done in Years 11 & 12.

Short Course in GCSE

There is only one exam at end of Year 12: it is in an hour and half paper.

Note: there is no coursework in the Short Course.

Students hoping to do further studies in Religious Studies e.g. GCE at AS or A2 levels are strongly advised to take the full GCSE Course.

However, those excelling in the Short Course, can also take the A Level course.

Students studying Theology or Divinity at University or those who enter Careers in Teaching, Law etc. all find the A Level Course an ideal preparation.

 

For both the full GCSE and the Short Course in Religious Studies, students will have the opportunity to study as a whole class, in groups and to undertake individual research. Collaborative study is encouraged especially in the Morality section. At the end of Year 11 pupils studying the full course go on a “Churches Tour”. The use of the Internet is built into many areas of both courses. The RESite on the school Intranet provides considerable opportunity for pupils to study independently. Full details of the Courses are on the School Intranet or at outside school at http://www.rsgateway.com