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Explains how exam boards expect candidates to represent non-religious beliefs accurately and why weak representations lose marks. Defines humanism as a predominant non-religious worldview in the UK, clarifies key ethical and worldview features, and provides an evidence-informed approach to answering exam questions. Includes where further resources can be found and references to how different exam boards frame non-religious inclusion.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/religious-studies-gcse-including-humanism-and-non-religious-worldviews-in-examination-answers/624299/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/religious-studies-gcse-including-humanism-and-non-religious-worldviews-in-examination-answers/624299.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"hdkawk","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-20",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":24},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why does this guidance focus on including humanist or non-religious perspectives in GCSE answers?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"GCSE specifications can include questions where students must show understanding of a humanist or non-religious perspective, sometimes with explicit requests and sometimes as optional content that can count toward marks.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What is humanism in the context of this guide?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Humanism is described as a predominant non-religious worldview in the UK, typically associated with atheism or agnosticism, ethical decisions grounded in reason and empathy, and the idea that people can give meaning to life in this world.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How should humanists approach ethical decision-making in exam answers?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The guide recommends explaining how a humanist might act by focusing on empathy and compassion, wellbeing in the here and now, respect for autonomy and human rights, and evidence about likely consequences.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},624299,1792501788,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":24,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":46,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":31},3985747859855,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","Religious Studies GCSE: Including humanism and non-religious worldviews in examination answers  \n1) Introduction  \nAll of the Religious Studies GCSE examination specifications contain the potential for students to encounter questions or topics of discussion that require them to demonstrate their understanding of a humanist or non-religious perspective. Sometimes a humanist or non-religious view is specifically requested. Other times, inclusion of a humanist or non-religious worldview is optional but can count towards a student’s total marks.  \nWe know from exam boards that students’ answers about non-religious worldviews are often weak and cost them marks:  \n‘Candidates should avoid mis-representing the non-religious beliefs of Atheistsand Humanists; some seemed to think that not believing in God meant they had no principles or ethical views on anything’  \nEduqas 2019 Summer Examination Summary Report  \nThis guidance is designed to enable teachers to support their students with including humanist perspectives in their GCSE answers. It includes an approach to answering questions that ask for, or offer inclusion of, a humanist (or non-religious) perspective, as well as information about where further helpful resources on the humanist approach to life can be found.  \nHumanists and the non-religious  \nHumanism is the predominant non-religious worldview in the UK1 and can often be used in answers to questions that refer to ‘non-religious beliefs’2. Humanists are atheist or agnostic and many people who describe themselves as ‘atheist’ or ‘agnostic’ will have a humanist approach to life (they will share the beliefs and values identified with humanism in the section below) . However, it is important for students to understand that not all non-religious people (nor all atheists or agnostics) are humanist.  \nNote: the label ‘ humanist’ has been used in different ways throughout history. However, the most likely way that it will be used in GCSE examination questions is to refer to thenon-religious worldview described below ( humanists who are atheist or agnostic) .  \n[1](1 humanists.uk/2017/06/15/new-poll-shows-one-in-)[ ](1 humanists.uk/2017/06/15/new-poll-shows-one-in-)[humanists.uk/2017/06/15/new-poll-shows-one-in-](1 humanists.uk/2017/06/15/new-poll-shows-one-in-)five-are-humanists-and-a-third-hold-humanist-beliefs  \n2 Or ‘non-religious approaches, perspectives, explanations, or worldviews’  \n© Humanists UK 2025  \n2) Humanists  \nRoughly speaking, the word humanist has come to mean someone who:  \n● trusts to the scientific method when it comes to understanding how the universe works and rejects the idea of the supernatural (and is therefore an atheist or agnostic)  \n● makes their ethical decisions based on reason, empathy, and a concern for human beings and other sentient animals  \n● believes that, in the absence of an afterlife and any discernible purpose to the universe, human beings can act to give their own lives meaning by seeking happiness in this life and helping others to do the same.  \nMore information can be found [at](at understandinghumanism.org.uk)[ ](at understandinghumanism.org.uk)[understandinghumanism.org.uk](at understandinghumanism.org.uk).  \nWhen it comes to answering ethical questions, humanists do not believe that the answers come from religion, but are found through considering what actions best support the wellbeing and flourishing of human beings and other sentient life in the here and now. Of course, sometimes, humanists’ and religious people’s conclusions on what is the right thing to do will be the same. For humanists, answers can be reached by focusing on our shared needs and applying empathy and reason to moral problems. Believing this is the one life we have, and in the recognition that it is up to us to make our own lives meaningful, they strongly value personal freedoms and agency over our own lives. Their scientific approach to answering questions about the world leads them to try to make evidence-informed d","cbCainKVv0ANDCiU","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCainKVv0ANDCiU","pdf",438913,"English","# Introduction\n## Humanists and the non-religious\n# Humanists\n## Ethical decision-making in answers\n# Reference to humanists and the non-religious in exam questions\n## AQA guidance\n## Edexcel guidance","[{\"question\":\"Why does this guidance focus on including humanist or non-religious perspectives in GCSE answers?\",\"answer\":\"GCSE specifications can include questions where students must show understanding of a humanist or non-religious perspective, sometimes with explicit requests and sometimes as optional content that can count toward marks.\"},{\"question\":\"What is humanism in the context of this guide?\",\"answer\":\"Humanism is described as a predominant non-religious worldview in the UK, typically associated with atheism or agnosticism, ethical decisions grounded in reason and empathy, and the idea that people can give meaning to life in this world.\"},{\"question\":\"How should humanists approach ethical decision-making in exam answers?\",\"answer\":\"The guide recommends explaining how a humanist might act by focusing on empathy and compassion, wellbeing in the here and now, respect for autonomy and human rights, and evidence about likely consequences.\"}]","Religious Studies GCSE - Including Humanism and Non-religious Worldviews in Examination Answers | PDF",1792473337]