Specification at a glance

This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.

Subject content

1. Catholic Christianity
2. Perspectives on faith

Assessments

Updated

Update to information on routes through the specification and marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG)

Component 1: Catholic Christianity
What's assessed Catholic beliefs, teachings, practices, sources of authority and forms of expression in relation to six topics: creation incarnation the Triune God redemption church eschatology.
How it's assessed Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes 96 marks, plus 3 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) 50% of GCSE
Questions In each exam series, questions will be set on any four of the topics listed above. Students must answer all the questions. Each topic is marked out of 24 marks. There will be one five-part question per topic of 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 marks. The 12 mark questions will require extended writing and test analysis and evaluation.

Component 1: Catholic Christianity

What's assessed

Catholic beliefs, teachings, practices, sources of authority and forms of expression in relation to six topics:

creation
incarnation
the Triune God
redemption
church
eschatology.

How it's assessed

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

Questions

In each exam series, questions will be set on any four of the topics listed above.
Students must answer all the questions.
Each topic is marked out of 24 marks.
There will be one five-part question per topic of 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 marks.
The 12 mark questions will require extended writing and test analysis and evaluation.

Component 2: Perspectives on faith
What's assessed One religion chosen from either Islam or Judaism and either two religious, philosophical and ethical studies themes chosen from: Theme A: Religion, relationships and families Theme B: Religion, peace and conflict Theme C: Religion, human rights and social justice. or two textual studies themes: Theme D: St Mark’s Gospel – the life of Jesus Theme E: St Mark’s Gospel as a source of spiritual truth.
How it's assessed Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes 96 marks, plus 6 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) 50% of GCSE
Questions Section A: Islam or Judaism Students must answer questions on one religion: Islam Judaism There will be two five-part questions per religion. Section B: Themes Students must answer questions on two themes. One question will be set on each theme. There will be five parts to each question. In both Section A and B: Each five-part question will be marked out of 24. Each group of five questions will follow the same structure of 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 marks. The 12 mark questions will require extended writing and test analysis and evaluation.

Component 2: Perspectives on faith

What's assessed

One religion chosen from either Islam or Judaism

and either

two religious, philosophical and ethical studies themes chosen from:
Theme A: Religion, relationships and families
Theme B: Religion, peace and conflict
Theme C: Religion, human rights and social justice.

two textual studies themes:
Theme D: St Mark’s Gospel – the life of Jesus
Theme E: St Mark’s Gospel as a source of spiritual truth.

How it's assessed

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

Questions

Section A: Islam or Judaism

Students must answer questions on one religion:

Islam
Judaism

There will be two five-part questions per religion.

Section B: Themes

Students must answer questions on two themes.

One question will be set on each theme. There will be five parts to each question.

In both Section A and B:

Each five-part question will be marked out of 24.
Each group of five questions will follow the same structure of 1, 2, 4, 5 and 12 marks.
The 12 mark questions will require extended writing and test analysis and evaluation.

There are two routes through this specification depending on whether students do Textual studies.

In the non-Textual studies route, Component 2A requires students to answer questions on either Islam or Judaism, plus two religious, philosophical and ethical studies themes (chosen from Themes A–C).

In the Textual studies route, Component 2B requires students to answer questions on either Islam or Judaism, plus both textual studies themes (Themes D–E).

Component 1 is common to both routes.

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