Applications now open for year 7 entry in September 2025

GCSE Religious Studies

Curriculum

Studying GCSE Religious Studies will allow students to progress their knowledge and skills from KS3. Students will be further challenged with questions about belief, values, meaning, purpose and truth, enabling them to develop their own attitudes towards religious issues. Students will also gain an appreciation of how religion, philosophy and ethics form the basis of our culture, legal system and many people’s lives. Furthermore, studying GCSE religious studies offers a rich and enjoyable set of topic that will bring young people into contact with the thoughts of the greatest minds and offers them the opportunity to carry on the great conversation of humanity about the ideas that shape our lives and the human condition.

Aims

There are two main parts to the GCSE course:

Firstly, you will study the beliefs, teachings and practices of two world religions: Sikhism and Christianity.

Secondly, you will study four religious, philosophical and ethical themes. You will learn about different religious perspectives on the themes studied and also about non-religious beliefs such as atheism and humanism.

You will also study religious, philosophical and ethical arguments related to the themes and their impact and influence on the modern world.

Component 1: Study of Religious beliefs, teachings and practice

  • Christianity
  • Sikhism

Component 2: Thematic Studies

  • Theme A: Relationships and families.
  • Theme B: Religion and life.
  • Theme D: Religion, peace and conflict.
  • Theme E: Religion, crime and punishment.

GCSE Religious Studies Overview

Year Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term
10 Sikhism Beliefs
Christianity Beliefs
Autumn Term Exams
Christianity Beliefs
Theme A: Relationships
and families
Spring Term Assessment
Theme B: Religion and life
Theme D: Religion, peace
and conflict
Summer Term Exams
11 Sikhism Practices (and
revision of beliefs)
Christianity Practices (and
revision of beliefs)
Autumn Term Exams
Theme E: Religion, crime
and punishment
Revision
Mock Exams
Revision
GCSE Examinations

What Course Will I Follow?

AQA GCSE Religious Studies A

Specification: 8062

How will I be assessed?

Component 1:

Study of religious belief, teachings and practices – Christianity and Sikhism.

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes (Paper 1)
  • 96 marks, plus 6 marks for spelling,punctuation and grammar (SPaG)
  • Worth 50% of GCSE

 

Component 2:

Thematic Studies (all four themes studied).

  • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes (Paper 2)
  • 96 marks, plus 3 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG)
  • Worth 50% of GCSE