OCR GCSE Religious Studies guide FAQ (J625)
Guide overview All 30 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
OCR GCSE Religious Studies: questions and answers
Specification J625. Two sets, because students and parents ask different things.
For students
I only study two religions. Is the rest wasted?
No. You study two religions for Group 1, chosen as any pair from five, and then Group 2 from the perspective of one of those two.
All five are in the guide because schools pick different pairs. Work your two and skip the other three. Each religion has its own topic pages.
How many topics do I actually sit?
Six. Two Group 1 topics for your first religion, beliefs and teachings plus practices. Two for your second religion. Then four Group 2 themes from the perspective of one of them.
That is six of the thirty topics here, which is why the rest is skipped rather than worked.
Which religion do I use for Group 2?
One of your two Group 1 religions. Your school chooses which. The Group 2 themes in the guide are labelled by religion, so pick the four with your religion’s name on them.
Do I need to quote scripture?
You need to know the sources of authority and what they teach. A named text or teaching supporting a point is credited where the same point without one is not. The guide asks for the source and what it says separately.
Do I need views I disagree with?
Yes. The specification asks for divergent views within a religion as well as between religions, and for non-religious views including humanism and atheism in the Group 2 dialogue theme.
How long does one session take?
About twenty minutes for one subtopic, all three steps. Topics run from 71 to 176 questions.
Can I do it in my head instead of writing?
Write. Religious Studies marks turn on precise teachings and named sources. The method page sets out the evidence.
Do I still need past papers?
Yes. This guide handles recall. Past papers train the evaluative questions where you weigh views against each other. OCR publishes them free.
For parents
What is this, in plain terms?
A PDF of 2,800 exam-style questions covering all five religions on OCR GCSE Religious Studies, with the answers printed after each topic.
My child studies two religions. Why does it cover five?
Because schools choose any pair from five. Carrying all five is what makes one guide work for every student, and the three not studied are simply skipped. A student works six of the thirty topics.
How do I check it is the right course?
The specification code is on the exam timetable. This guide is OCR J625, the full course GCSE. OCR also runs a short course, J125, which covers less.
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 five religions. A GCSE Religious Studies revision guide is usually £6 to £10 and covers one or two religions.
How much time does it take?
Only six of the thirty topics are worked, so roughly 47 subtopics at twenty minutes each is about 16 hours across two years.
What else does my child need?
Past papers, free from OCR, and their own notes for anything not yet taught.
OCR GCSE Religious Studies Active Recall Guide
2,800 questions with their answers, 234 subtopics, one file.