ENGLAND, November 19, 2014 (BBC): Pupils in England will have to study two faiths under government proposals for a new “more academically rigorous” religious studies GCSE. The aim is to ensure pupils have a strong understanding of the central role of religion on British culture, says the government. The Department for Education says it has worked closely with experts from “all the major faith groups” to develop the qualification which is due for first teaching in September 2016.
Under the proposals, pupils will study “the beliefs, teachings and sources of wisdom” of at least two religions for the first half of their GCSE. The second half of the syllabus will allow pupils to study one or both in depth: looking at religious practice, religious texts and how faiths tackle philosophical and ethical issues.
Students may choose from Buddhism, Christianity, Catholic Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and Sikhism. The option to study a humanist or non-religious world view is not included in this list.