Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B guide FAQ (1RB0)
Guide overview All 56 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B: questions and answers
Specification 1RB0. Two sets, because students and parents ask different things.
For students
Seven religions. Which do I study?
One per area of study, and you sit two of the three areas. Some schools use the same religion for both, some use two different ones.
All seven are in the guide, each named by religion, so you work the four sections you actually sit and skip everything else. That is roughly 400 questions rather than 5,266.
Which sections do I need?
Every paper opens on the chosen religion’s beliefs and its practices, then takes the two sections belonging to that area. Religion and Ethics takes marriage and the family and matters of life and death. Religion, Peace and Conflict takes crime and punishment and peace and conflict. Religion, Philosophy and Social Justice takes philosophy of religion and equality.
What do the twelve-mark questions want?
An argued response with more than one point of view, supported by sources of wisdom and authority. That is why the guide asks for the sources by name, with what each one says.
Is Judaism organised differently?
Slightly. In Area of Study 3, Judaism takes religious experience where the other religions take philosophy of religion. Both are in the guide under their own headings.
How long does one session take?
About twenty minutes for one subtopic, all three steps. A section is 81 to 105 questions, so four to six sessions each.
Can I do it in my head instead of writing?
Write. The marks reward named teachings, named sources and accurate wording, and step 2 is where the gaps get fixed. The method page sets out the evidence.
When should I start?
Any point in Year 10 or Year 11. Both papers are sat at the end of Year 11.
Do I still need past papers?
Yes. Past papers train the four-question structure and the timing on a twelve-mark answer. Pearson publishes them free.
For parents
What is this, in plain terms?
A PDF of 5,266 exam-style questions covering all seven religions and all eight sections of Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B, with the answers printed after each topic.
5,266 questions sounds like far too much.
A student works about 400 of them. The qualification is two areas of study, each answered on one chosen religion, and schools choose differently across seven religions. All of it is in one file so that any combination is covered.
How do I find out which parts my child does?
Ask which religion and which two areas of study. Each religion is a named set of topics in the guide, and the two areas decide which four sections within it are sat.
Is this a devotional book?
No. It is an exam preparation tool. The questions set out beliefs, practices, teachings and sources as the specification examines them, across all seven religions.
How do I check it is the right course?
The specification code is on the exam timetable. Edexcel runs Religious Studies A (1RA0) and B (1RB0), which are different courses. This guide is 1RB0.
How do I know if it is being used properly?
There should be handwritten answers on paper and three passes over the same questions, and two scores per session to compare.
How much is it compared with a textbook?
£7.00 for all seven religions. A GCSE Religious Studies textbook covers one or two religions and is usually £20 to £30.
Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B Active Recall Guide
5,266 questions with their answers, 448 subtopics, one file.