Pupils in Key Stage 4 may be working towards a GCSE in Religious Studies. There are different examination boards who produce specifications that inform the topics taught to pupils. This may also be influenced by the locally agreed RE syllabus adopted by the local education authority a school is in.

At Key Stage 4, pupils may study ethics. This could include topics such as abortion, euthanasia, sexual relationships, prejudice and discrimination, the environment and conflict. Pupils study this from a personal and various religious perspectives. They encounter different arguments on the same subject and come to appreciate valid points even if it is at odds with their own opinion.

KS 4 pupils may study philosophy, which addresses the existence of God, the problem of evil in the world, the relationship between religion and science and the afterlife. They engage in debates, form arguments and respond to other perspectives.

Pupils in Key Stage 4 also study religions in depth, such as Christianity and other major religions.