GCSE Religious Education
Studying GCSE religious Studies is a challenge. It creates a whole lot more questions than it answers. It causes you to investigate your own views in depth as well as to appreciate other people’s.
The subject addresses difficult questions such as ‘Why is there suffering?’ and ‘How far do YOU go in caring for your environment?’ ‘Would YOU go to war?’ ‘What is the basis of a successful marriage?’ ‘Do you actually discriminate against groups of people?’ ‘Is there such a thing as a religious experience or is it simply coincidence?’ Are you up to this challenge?
This course investigates a range of moral issues such as prejudice, wealth and poverty, the environment, abortion, war and peace, religion and the media, religion and drugs and capital punishment.
The skills you will develop are those of questioning, thinking critically and considering a variety of viewpoints on the issues addressed in the syllabus. You will need to be able to synthesise or bring together information from a range of sources such as television programmes, text books, internet sites, people involved in the issue and other relevant areas.
Directions at Post 16
Studying RS in the Sixth Form will mean that you will explore questions and issues fundamental to religion. The course contains some of the material you met in GCSE, but you will, naturally, study it in much more detail. You will be encouraged to reflect on the relevance of religious experience and thought for today’s society. The course promotes an enquiry approach to belief, experience and practice.
Routes after Post 16
RS is a very broad subject and it can lead to all sorts of courses including Arabic and International Studies; Politics and Religious Studies; Philosophy; Sociology and Religious Studies; Computer Studies and Theology; English and Theology and Religious Studies with Psychology. There are of course many, many more. Universities regard RS as a very sound basis for other, completely different degree courses as well.
Past students have gone on to have careers in journalism, teaching, psychology, engineering, medicine etc.
Please contact Miss Eddon for further information.