Students study Religious Education across Phases 1 – 5. In years 7 – 11 students have 1 hour per week.

Learning about religion and developing your philosophical side will raise some of the basic questions about being human. What really matters? What is the purpose of my life? How do I show what I value?

Religious Education at Unity Academy helps students to acquire the skills and attitude needed to unpick these questions 

  • Gaining the knowledge which will help them understand and respect different religions, beliefs, values and traditions (including how people decide what is right and wrong), and appreciate the influence of these beliefs on individual people, communities and cultures.
  • Promoting academic excellence through the development of skills such as enquiry and response, analysis, expression, reflection and evaluation.
  • Exploring big questions within and between faiths and considering questions of meaning and purpose in life.
  • Learning about religious and ethical teaching which will support young people as they make reasoned and informed judgements on religious and moral issues.
  • Developing a sense of identity and belonging, preparing our young people for adult life as citizens in a multicultural society.

      

This Subject as a GCSE Option

Subject - Religious Studies

Qualification - AQA GCSE Specification A

Number of lessons - 3

Students follow the Full GCSE Course AQA RS specification A.

What can I do with an RS qualification?

Therapy, journalism, stockbroking, retailing, social work, nursing, radio and TV, the armed forces and the police are just some of the careers that recognise the importance of RS. Colleges, Universities and employers value the skills and attributes successful RS students have to offer.

Course content

Students must take assessments in the following two components to gain a GCSE in Religious Education:

Paper 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices

Students will need to study TWO religions the first will be: Christianity

Students should be aware that Christianity is one of the diverse religious traditions and beliefs in Great Britain today and that the main religious tradition in Great Britain is Christianity. Students will look at beliefs and teachings and practices.

Second religion students will study is Islam. Students should study the beliefs, teachings and practices of Islam.

Paper  2: Thematic studies: Religious, philosophical and ethical studies themes:

  • Relationships and families.
  • Religion and life.
  • Religion, crime and punishment.
  • Religion, human rights and social justice.

How it's assessed

  • Pupil will do TWO written exams each: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • 96 marks for each paper (plus 5 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG)
  • 100% of GCSE