AQA GCSE RE help and resources from Grade 9 Student

I’d love to know how you revised because in Year 9, (my school started GCSEs early) we didn’t have a proper teacher and just had a mess of cover teachers leading to my knowledge of paper 1 being quite poor so what would you advise in doing?

And how do you structure your 12 markers - my teacher often gives me 10 or 11 out of 12 but always says my answers lack a logical flow or they don’t conclude properly.

Also, well done!

Thank you! I was in the exact same situation as you. I'm going into Year 11 this year so I did RE a year early. My teacher left suddenly in October in Year 9 and I had terrible cover lessons for the rest of the year, so I only had useless textbook exercises in my book.

My best suggestion is to use a revision guide to teach yourself the areas you did in cover lessons - I had the Oxford AQA Revision guide (two ladies on the front) and it was amazing. I found it to be far better than the CGP one. I wouldn't have been able to get the grade I got without it. It has just the right amount of information with good quotes and practise questions on each page.

I used the revision guide to write out my own notes in an A5 notebook - I suggest A5 rather than A4 because it forces you to summarise and makes it easier to learn the information later on. When I had finished my notes, I used them to create Quizlets for quotes and each of the 8 topics. I would be happy to send you the links to mine if you would like to use them. I printed these out and tested myself in the 6 ish weeks before the exam by putting them into piles of don't know, sort of know and definitely know. I would do the don't know once a day, the sort of know every few days and the definitely know a few days before the exam. When I could recall most of the information, I did as many practise questions as I could find in timed conditions. I highly recommend the CGP practise questions book for this. Near to the exam, i typed out all my quotes and got friends and family to test me (i can send you the document if you like).

I struggled so much with 12 markers: I was getting 7s on them constantly in my mocks until I finally got the hang of it and found a structure that worked for me. In the month before the exams I sent many 12 markers to my teacher to mark for me. Here is one my teacher gave me 12/12 for to help. I basically gave two detailed points for in one paragraph with at least one quote and the same for against. For the conclusion, I discredited the argument i thought was weaker to make the argument i thought was better seem stronger, if that makes sense.

The best way to understand God is to describe God as transcendent 12/12

Some Muslims may agree with this statement because God’s transcendence shows that we cannot understand his plans and this explains other elements of God, such as his benevolence and the idea of predestination. In the Qur’an, it states that “no vision can grasp him. He is above all comprehension”, which proves that he is not limited by Earth and can therefore have other qualities, such as omniscience. Also, his transcendence proves that he is the creator, as he would have to have designed the world himself in order to be outside it. This is vital to Islam, as it shows that God loves us and gave us everything we could need.

Some Muslims may disagree with the statement because they believe his mercifulness is a better way of understanding God, as it highlights how loving he is for allowing us to be forgiven. All 144 Surahs in the Qur’an start with “In the name of Allah, the most merciful”, which proves how important this quality is. Also, some Muslims may believe his immanence is more important as it shows how God is within everything on Earth. In the Qur’an it states “We are closer to God than his jugular vein”. This proves that God is present in Earth, which may be a better way to understand God for some Muslims as they feel more connected to him.

In conclusion, the arguments supporting the statement are stronger because his transcendence proves his other qualities, for example not being limited by Earth means he can be omnipotent. Although his immanence can make Muslims feel closer to God, his transcendence helps them to feel in awe of him and his creation shows that everything they touch was designed by God, which can help them feel connected to him.


I hope this helps, and if you want any resources just send me a message.

The CGP practise questions book doesn't include Buddhism unfortunately, but you could still use it for Christianity and the themes.

My quote Quizlet for religion includes Islam too so you'll have to ignore the quotes from the Qur'an but here's the link - https://quizlet.com/gb/397945063/quotes-flash-cards/?x=1jqU&i=154e8m

Four separate paragraphs works really well for 12 markers too; there are loads of ways to structure it, just try different methods until you get top marks.

Good luck with RE, you'll definitely get a great result if you put in the effort. I'm doing Triple Science, Spanish, Business, Drama and Geography for GCSE, with Maths and English obviously. I'm much better with words than numbers, so I'll have to put a lot of work into maths and science to get good results! What are you doing?

Guys for AQA RS the exam board itself (or at least the same people who made the textbook) have a revision guide and it is sooooo useful. I got a 9 in my GCSE and all I did was read that revision guide. It has everything you need to know. Also make quote banks for each chapter and keep them short so they’re easy to remember. I literally used the 10 commandments all the time in my essays and very basic versatile quotes are good enough. Also you don’t need a quote in every paragraph, just insert one every time you can think of a relevant one.

Right before exams I would read previous 12 marker essays from class or other papers I had done and this is SO useful. It gives you good ideas and arguments fresh in your mind during exams. There are only so much they can ask you on, so reading over old essays can you help you quickly write good essays in the exam.
RE is relatively easy once you get the hang of it.

I just received a 9 in my RE GCSE and I would love to help anyone struggling, since I found it hard to find useful resources and tips. I can send 12/12 answers and Quizlet links to anyone that needs help, or just give general advice.

Could you possibly send me examples of your 12 mark answers. I'm really struggling with those

Hi, here are a few 12 markers my teacher marked for me last year. I hope they help!

The best way to understand God is to describe God as transcendent 12/12

Some Muslims may agree with this statement because God’s transcendence shows that we cannot understand his plans and this explains other elements of God, such as his benevolence and the idea of predestination. In the Qur’an, it states that “no vision can grasp him. He is above all comprehension”, which proves that he is not limited by Earth and can therefore have other qualities, such as omniscience. Also, his transcendence proves that he is the creator, as he would have to have designed the world himself in order to be outside it. This is vital to Islam, as it shows that God loves us and gave us everything we could need.

Some Muslims may disagree with the statement because they believe his mercifulness is a better way of understanding God, as it highlights how loving he is for allowing us to be forgiven. All 144 Surahs in the Qur’an start with “In the name of Allah, the most merciful”, which proves how important this quality is. Also, some Muslims may believe his immanence is more important as it shows how God is within everything on Earth. In the Qur’an it states “We are closer to God than his jugular vein”. This proves that God is present in Earth, which may be a better way to understand God for some Muslims as they feel more connected to him.

In conclusion, the arguments supporting the statement are stronger because his transcendence proves his other qualities, for example not being limited by Earth means he can be omnipotent. Although his immanence can make Muslims feel closer to God, his transcendence helps them to feel in awe of him and his creation shows that everything they touch was designed by God, which can help them feel connected to him.


Shi’a and Sunni Muslims have very different perspectives on Islam 12/12

Some Muslims may agree with this statement because Shi’a Muslims add a phrase onto the Shahadah. For Shi’a Muslims, the Shahadah is “There is no God but God and Muhammad is his prophet and Ali is his friend”. Ali refers to Muhammad’s son in law, who only Shi’as believe was his true successor. The Shahadah is vital to being a Muslim and acts as the basis for the four pillars, therefore the inclusion of Ali shows how much of an impact he has for just Shi’as. Some Muslims may also agree because Sunni Muslims have the Six Articles of Faith and Shi’as have the Five Roots of Usul-ad-Din, which differ considerably. For example, the Imamate is included in the Five Roots, which means to have respect for the Shi’a Imams, however the Supremacy of God’s will is one of the Six Articles and is the belief that nothing happens unless God wants it to.

Some Muslims may disagree with this statement because both Sunnis and Shi’as believe in Tawhid, which is essential to Islam. In the Qur’an it states “He is God the one. God the eternal”, which proves that there is only one God. Tawhid is the central idea of Islam and believing in more than one God – shirk – is the worst crime, therefore Sunnis and Shi’as have the same perspective on the nature of God. Some Muslims may also agree with this statement because both Sunnis and Shi’as believe in the importance of the prophet Muhammad. Muhammad is integral to Islam because the Qur’an states he was “God’s messenger” and “the seal of the prophets”. Both Sunnis and Shi’as have respect for Muhammad and his role in the religion, which makes up for the smaller differences between them.

In conclusion, the arguments against the statement are stronger because the similarities, such as the belief in Muhammad and Tawhid, are more important to the religion so their overall perspectives are aligned. Even though there are differences between them in terms of the Five Roots and Six Articles, they both have prophethood and Tawhid in common so they are not completely opposing.


These are 12 markers I did for the themes. I for 11/12 on these and I have included my teachers comments so you can see why I lost a mark on each.


Prisoners should not expect to be treated well 11/12

Some non-religious people may agree with this statement because they believe the purpose of prison is to punish the criminal for the crime and treating them well means they are not suffering for the pain they have caused. Prison needs to be an unpleasant situation with no luxuries and poor treatment, otherwise it will not act as a deterrent to stop crime. Also, some Christians and Muslims would argue that criminals should endure pain and be treated poorly in order to show them what they have done. In the Bible, it states “Spare the rod and spoil the child”, which suggests it is morally right to give prisoners a difficult time in captivity. Poor treatment is an apt punishment for the crime and helps the criminal to empathise with what they put the victim through to help them ask for forgiveness. Excellent paragraph.

Some Muslims may disagree with this statement because prisoners still deserve respect and have basic human rights. In the Qur’an, it states “Detain this prisoner, feed him and treat him well”. This highlights the importance of giving prisoners good treatment and shows that it would be unfair to deny criminals of necessities. Also, some Christians would argue that we should help prisoners in order to reform them and encourage them to change their attitudes. In the Bible, Jesus said “I was in prison and you came to visit me”. This shows Christians that they should support criminals in prison and ensure their time is worthwhile, therefore poor treatment is wrong. Excellent counter argument. You could also add that for some religious people, prison is not entirely about being punished for their crime. It is also about giving them the chance to redeem themselves and become better people. Some prisons are very good at helping to reform the prisoners e.g. helping them to reintegrate back into society by teaching them essential work skills, through therapy etc.

Some would also argue that spending time in prison is punishment enough, as their lives are put on hold.

In conclusion, the arguments against the statement are stronger because the time spent away from family and trapped in a cell is a severe punishment, therefore treating criminals poorly as well would just be cruel. Even though prison should not be a pleasant experience, giving prisoners basic needs and respect is not a luxury and they still have to endure the lack of freedom. Good conclusion.



Everyone should have the right to choose their religious beliefs 11/12

Some Christians may agree with this statement because they believe we should keep peace and allow different religious beliefs in order to prevent war. In the Bible, it states “Live at peace with everyone”. This shows that Christians should be kind to others and accept a variety in religious beliefs. If people were not given religious freedom, there would be fighting and unhappiness, which is wrong. Also, some Muslims may agree with this statement because they think everyone has the right to decide what they want to believe in. In the Qur’an, it states “Now the truth has come from your Lord… let those who wish to reject it do so”. This proves that people should be allowed to choose not to follow Islam and follow whatever religion they want. Very good. Could refer to Jesus saying "gentile or Jew...everyone is equal in the eyes of God" which suggests that it doesn't matter which religion you are, God loves everyone. Could also argue that many religions today work together ( known as interfaith dialogue of interfaith division) with one another because they believe that they all teach and believe in the same thing e.g. live morally, worship, be loving etc. Therefore it doesn't really matter which religion they choose to follow.

Some Muslims may disagree with this statement because in Islamic countries with Shari’ah Law, converting from Islam to another religion is criminal and wrong. This suggests that people should not have free will in terms of their religious beliefs and changing your religion should not be allowed. Also, non-religious people may argue that some religious beliefs cause pain to others so shouldn’t be allowed. For example, many Christians and Muslims are against homosexuality due to beliefs due to it being considered a sin in the Bible and Qur’an, which could cause gay people to feel isolated. Certain religious beliefs can create divisions between groups in society, therefore shouldn’t be allowed to be held. Excellent paragraph. In addition, Jesus told his disciples to become 'fishers of men' which suggests that Jesus wanted people to become followers of the Christian faith. Christians today take this teaching seriously as some Christians choose to become street pastors; spreading the word of God, hoping that people will listen and become Christians.

Non religious people would agree as according to the UDHR, one of the human rights is that everyone should be entitled to is the freedom to choose their own religion.

In conclusion, the arguments supporting the statement are stronger because if people cannot hold religious beliefs, they do not have free will, which is a basic human right. Even though Shari’ah Law punishes converts, it is only severely enforced in a few countries and many Muslims disagree with it. Good conclusion

Thank you! I was in the exact same situation as you. I'm going into Year 11 this year so I did RE a year early. My teacher left suddenly in October in Year 9 and I had terrible cover lessons for the rest of the year, so I only had useless textbook exercises in my book.

My best suggestion is to use a revision guide to teach yourself the areas you did in cover lessons - I had the Oxford AQA Revision guide (two ladies on the front) and it was amazing. I found it to be far better than the CGP one. I wouldn't have been able to get the grade I got without it. It has just the right amount of information with good quotes and practise questions on each page.

I used the revision guide to write out my own notes in an A5 notebook - I suggest A5 rather than A4 because it forces you to summarise and makes it easier to learn the information later on. When I had finished my notes, I used them to create Quizlets for quotes and each of the 8 topics. I would be happy to send you the links to mine if you would like to use them. I printed these out and tested myself in the 6 ish weeks before the exam by putting them into piles of don't know, sort of know and definitely know. I would do the don't know once a day, the sort of know every few days and the definitely know a few days before the exam. When I could recall most of the information, I did as many practise questions as I could find in timed conditions. I highly recommend the CGP practise questions book for this. Near to the exam, i typed out all my quotes and got friends and family to test me (i can send you the document if you like).

I struggled so much with 12 markers: I was getting 7s on them constantly in my mocks until I finally got the hang of it and found a structure that worked for me. In the month before the exams I sent many 12 markers to my teacher to mark for me. Here is one my teacher gave me 12/12 for to help. I basically gave two detailed points for in one paragraph with at least one quote and the same for against. For the conclusion, I discredited the argument i thought was weaker to make the argument i thought was better seem stronger, if that makes sense.

The best way to understand God is to describe God as transcendent 12/12

Some Muslims may agree with this statement because God’s transcendence shows that we cannot understand his plans and this explains other elements of God, such as his benevolence and the idea of predestination. In the Qur’an, it states that “no vision can grasp him. He is above all comprehension”, which proves that he is not limited by Earth and can therefore have other qualities, such as omniscience. Also, his transcendence proves that he is the creator, as he would have to have designed the world himself in order to be outside it. This is vital to Islam, as it shows that God loves us and gave us everything we could need.

Some Muslims may disagree with the statement because they believe his mercifulness is a better way of understanding God, as it highlights how loving he is for allowing us to be forgiven. All 144 Surahs in the Qur’an start with “In the name of Allah, the most merciful”, which proves how important this quality is. Also, some Muslims may believe his immanence is more important as it shows how God is within everything on Earth. In the Qur’an it states “We are closer to God than his jugular vein”. This proves that God is present in Earth, which may be a better way to understand God for some Muslims as they feel more connected to him.

In conclusion, the arguments supporting the statement are stronger because his transcendence proves his other qualities, for example not being limited by Earth means he can be omnipotent. Although his immanence can make Muslims feel closer to God, his transcendence helps them to feel in awe of him and his creation shows that everything they touch was designed by God, which can help them feel connected to him.


I hope this helps, and if you want any resources just send me a message.

I just received a 9 in my RE GCSE and I would love to help anyone struggling, since I found it hard to find useful resources and tips. I can send 12/12 answers and Quizlet links to anyone that needs help, or just give general advice.

Hi can u answer this question that I am struggling on
“It is justified for a country to possess nuclear weapons”
Evaluate this statement
12marks