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Philosophy & Ethics - Core

Lead teacher - Mrs King
Email - nki@ifieldcc.co.uk 
Qualification  - GCSE (in Religious Studies)
Level - Grades 9 -1
Lessons per fortnight - 5

Course Outline 

Short Course:

All students have to study short course GCSE in Religious Studies in year 9. We have chosen the two largest religions in the world and focus on developing responses to the big questions in life.

Christianity: What do Christians believe? What do they base their faith on? Why do Christians carry out certain actions such as marriage, funerals, baptism? Does an afterlife exist? Does God exist? What impact does Christianity have on our society?

Islam: What do Muslims believe? What do they base their faith on? Why do Muslims carry out certain actions such as marriage, Hajj, Zakah? Does an afterlife exist? Does Allah (God) exist? What impact does Islam have on our society?

Human Relationships: What’s the point of families? Why do people have differing attitudes to homosexuality? Do we need marriage anymore? Why do people get divorced? Are women equal to men?

Life and Death: How did the world come into being? What happens after we die? Does life have value? Do we have the right to take a life?
Is abortion acceptable?

All of these topics are explored through two religious perspectives and non-religious perspectives.

Exam Details 

Exam Board – EDUQAS

Short course - 100% examination, three papers at the end of year 9 (2hrs).

Career Progression 

By studying religious studies at GCSE you will be picking up a range of skills that will be useful for virtually any job, especially jobs in public services such as medicine, police, teaching, social work and law. You will learn:

  • How people think and what motivates them
  • The value of cultural and religious diversity
  • About different attitudes to many global affairs
  • The debates over moral, ethical and religious issues in the world today
  • To communicate clearly and learn to express opinions both verbally and on paper
Subject Links

Religious Studies complement Geography, History, English Language and Literature, Drama and Psychology.

Further Requirements

There are no further requirements.

Further Information