AQA GCSE Religious Studies

35 Pages·2016·0.47 MB·English

GCSE
Get help and support
Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/8062 RELIGIOUS
You can talk directly to the religious studies subject team
STUDIES A
E: [email protected]
T: 0161 957 3881
(8062)
Specification
For teaching from September 2016 onwards
For exams in 2018 onwards
Version 1.0 11 February 2016
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GCSE Religious Studies A (8062). For exams 2018 onwards. Version 1.0
Contents
1 Introduction 5
1.1 Why choose AQA for GCSE Religious Studies A 5
1.2 Support and resources to help you teach 5
2 Specification at a glance 8
2.1 Subject content 8
2.2 Assessments 8
3 Subject content 10
3.1 Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices 10
3.2 Component 2: Thematic studies 21
4 Scheme of assessment 29
4.1 Aims and learning outcomes 29
4.2 Assessment objectives 30
4.3 Assessment weightings 30
4.4 Assessment structure 30
4.5 Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) 32
5 General administration 33
5.1 Entries and codes 33
5.2 Overlaps with other qualifications 33
5.3 Awarding grades and reporting results 33
5.4 Re-sits and shelf life 34
5.5 Previous learning and prerequisites 34
5.6 Access to assessment: diversity and inclusion 34
5.7 Working with AQA for the first time 34
5.8 Private candidates 35
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Are you using the latest version of this specification?
• You will always find the most up-to-date version of this specification on our website at
aqa.org.uk/8062
• We will write to you if there are significant changes to this specification.
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GCSE Religious Studies A (8062). For exams 2018 onwards. Version 1.0
1 Introduction
1.1 Why choose AQA for GCSE Religious Studies A
Our GCSE covers a range of the major world religions, six contemporary ethical themes and two textual
studies, ensuring you and your students have a diverse choice of intriguing subjects to explore.
Students will be 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. They will develop analytical and critical thinking skills, the ability to work with abstract ideas,
leadership and research skills. All these skills will help prepare them for further study.
Highlights include:
• the full course is co-teachable with our GCSE Religious Studies: Short course
• experienced subject experts and teachers helped us create a clear and straightforward approach to
assessment
• our question papers enable students of all abilities to show what they know.
You can find out all about our Religious Studies A qualification at aqa.org.uk/religious-studies
1.2 Support and resources to help you teach
We’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you
confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams.
Teaching resources
Visit aqa.org.uk/8062 to see all our teaching resources. They include:
• schemes of work
• specimen questions and marked exemplars
• resources listed for each of the religions and themes
• step-by-step guidance for assessment
• guidance to new content for each religion
• training courses to help you deliver AQA GCSE Religious Studies
• subject expertise courses for all teachers, from newly-qualified teachers who are just getting started
to experienced teachers looking for fresh inspiration.
Preparing for exams
Visit aqa.org.uk/8062 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including:
• past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports
• specimen papers and mark schemes for new courses
• Exampro: a searchable bank of past AQA exam questions
• exemplar student answers with examiner commentaries.
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Analyse your students' results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA)
Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years and
where your students need to improve. ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you see where
to focus your teaching. Register at aqa.org.uk/era
For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our
post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results
Keep your skills up-to-date with professional development
Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn. As well as subject-specific
training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills.
• Improve your teaching skills in areas including differentiation, teaching literacy and meeting Ofsted
requirements.
• Prepare for a new role with our leadership and management courses.
You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your
needs and availability. Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk
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GCSE Religious Studies A (8062). For exams 2018 onwards. Version 1.0
Get help and support
Visit our website for information,
guidance, support and resources at
aqa.org.uk/8062
You can talk directly to the
religious studies subject team
E: [email protected]
T: 0161 957 3881
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2 Specification at a glance
This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.
2.1 Subject content
Students must take assessments in the following two components in the same series:
1 Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices (page 10)
2 Component 2: Thematic studies (page 21)
2.2 Assessments
There are two routes through this specification. Students should enter either Route A or Route B,
depending on whether they study the textual studies themes.
In Route A students must answer questions on two specified religions in Component 1A (Christianity
and Catholic Christianity are prohibited combinations), and four from six religious, philosophical and
ethical studies themes in Component 2A.
In Route B students must answer questions on either Christianity or Catholic Christianity plus
one religion from the other five specified religions in Component 1B, and two from six religious,
philosophical and ethical studies themes plus both textual studies themes in Component 2B.
Themes A–F are examined in Component 2A; Themes A–H are examined in Component 2B.
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GCSE Religious Studies A (8062). For exams 2018 onwards. Version 1.0
+
Component 1: The study of religions: Component 2: Thematic studies
beliefs, teachings and practices
What's assessed What's assessed
Beliefs, teachings and practices of two from: Either four religious, philosophical and ethical
studies themes or two religious, philosophical
• Buddhism
and ethical studies themes and two textual
• Christianity
studies themes.
• Catholic Christianity
Religious, philosophical and ethical studies
• Hinduism
themes:
• Islam
• Theme A: Relationships and families.
• Judaism
• Theme B: Religion and life.
• Sikhism.
• Theme C: The existence of God and
Christianity and Catholic Christianity is a revelation.
prohibited combination.
• Theme D: Religion, peace and conflict.
• Theme E: Religion, crime and punishment.
• Theme F: Religion, human rights and social
justice.
Textual studies themes:
• Theme G: St Mark's Gospel – the life of
Jesus.
• Theme H: St Mark's Gospel as a source of
religious, moral and spiritual truths.
How it's assessed How it's assessed
• Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
• 96 marks (plus 5 marks for spelling, • 96 marks (plus 5 marks for spelling,
punctuation and grammar (SPaG)) punctuation and grammar (SPaG))
• 50% of GCSE • 50% of GCSE
Questions Questions
Each religion has a common structure of two Each theme has a common structure of one
five-part questions of 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 marks. five-part question of 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 marks.
Each religion is marked out of 48. Each theme is marked out of 24.

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3 Subject content
This specification covers the content laid down by the Department for Education (DfE) subject content
for GCSE Religious Studies.
Students should consider different beliefs and attitudes to religious and non-religious issues in
contemporary British society. They should be aware that the religious traditions of Great Britain are, in
the main, Christian, and that religious traditions in Great Britain are diverse. They include Christianity,
Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, as well as other religious and non-religious beliefs
such as atheism and humanism. This knowledge may be applied throughout the assessment of the
subject content.
3.1 Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings
and practices
Students should study any two of the following:
• Buddhism
• Christianity
• Catholic Christianity
• Hinduism
• Islam
• Judaism
• Sikhism.
Christianity and Catholic Christianity is a prohibited combination.
3.1.1 Buddhism
Students should be aware that Buddhism is one of the diverse religious traditions and beliefs in Great
Britain today and that the main religious tradition in Great Britain is Christianity. This knowledge may be
applied throughout the assessment of the specified content.
Students should study the beliefs, teachings and practices of Buddhism specified below and their
basis in Buddhist sources of wisdom and authority. They should be able to refer to scripture and/
or sacred texts where appropriate. Some texts are prescribed for study in the content set out below
and questions may be set on them. Students may refer to any relevant text in their answers and AQA
will publish a list of appropriate texts as part of the supporting material for this specification. These
additional texts will not be required for study, alternatives may be used, and questions will not be set on
them.
Students should study the influence of the beliefs, teachings and practices studied on individuals,
communities and societies.
Common and divergent views within Buddhism in the way beliefs and teachings are understood and
expressed should be included throughout. Students may refer to a range of Buddhist perspectives in
their answers, for example, Theravada, Mahayana, Zen and Pure Land. They must study the specific
differences identified below.
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GCSE Religious Studies A (8062). For exams 2018 onwards. Version 1.0
3.1.1.1 Beliefs and teachings
The Dhamma (Dharma)
• The concept of Dhamma (Dharma).
• The concept of dependent arising (paticcasamupada).
• The Three Marks of Existence:
• impermanence (anicca)
• no fixed self (anatta)
• unsatisfactoriness of life, suffering (dukkha).
• The human personality, in the Theravada and Mahayana traditions:
• Theravada: the Five Aggregates (skandhas) of form, sensation, perception, mental formations,
consciousness
• Mahayana: sunyata, the possibility of attaining Buddhahood and Buddha-nature.
• Human destiny:
• Different ideals in Theravada and Mahayana traditions: Arhat (a ‘perfected person’) and
Bodhisattva ideals
• Buddhahood and the Pure Land.
3.1.1.2 The Buddha and the Four Noble Truths
• The Buddha’s life and its significance:
• the birth of the Buddha and his life of luxury
• the Four Sights: illness, old age, death, holy man (Jataka 075)
• the Buddha’s ascetic life
• the Buddha’s Enlightenment.
• The Four Noble Truths:
1 suffering (dukkha) including different types of suffering
2 the causes of suffering (samudaya); the Three Poisons, ignorance, greed and hate
3 the end of craving (tanha), interpretations of nibbana (nirvana) and Enlightenment
4 the Eightfold Path (magga) to nibbana/nirvana; the path as the Threefold Way: ethics (sila),
meditation (samadhi) and wisdom (panna). Dhammapada 190 –191.
3.1.1.3 Practices
Worship and festivals
• The nature, use and importance of Buddhist places of worship including temples, shrines,
monasteries (viharas), halls for meditation or learning (gompas) and their key features including
Buddha rupa, artefacts and offerings.
• Puja, the significance and role of puja/devotional ritual in the home and in the temple, including
chanting, both as a devotional practice and as an aid to mental concentration, mantra recitation, use
of malas.
• Meditation, the different aims, significance and methods of meditation:
• Samatha (concentration and tranquillity) including mindfulness of breathing
• Vipassana (insight) including zazen
• the visualisation of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
• The practice and significance of different ceremonies and rituals associated with death and mourning
in Theravada communities and in Japan and Tibet.
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