Last minute GCSE subject change

[ag54]

My daughter chose GCSE Citizenship as part of her Year 9 options and has now been informed by her school that after studying the subject for a year it is now to be withdrawn and replaced by Religious Studies!!!! I emailed the school to find out what was happening and was told that a letter explaining the situation would be with me shortly!!!! Can Acadamies just change their minds about the National Curriculum at a drop of a hat and just as school is closing for the summer holidays?? How cowardly. How can a child catch up on a year's study in 6 weeks, with a view to achieving a grade at GCSE in next year's exams? I am extremely angry. Has this happened to anyone else?

[ItsAlrightAlright]

Are you aware you have two threads running?

[ag54]

yep. Sorry. new to mumsnet. thought it would be better placed here.

[MollyButton]

Schools have to teach PHSE - but don't have to offer an exam in Citizenship. My DCs school has taught RE to exam standard in a year in the past, at present they sit the exam at the end of year 10 having studied the exam syllabus in years 9 and 10. All schools are supposed to teach RE until students finish year 11 anyway (DCs school got away with year 11 by having RE rolled into PHSE somehow).

You do sound very ranty.
But it is very possible to be taught in a year depending on how they organise the timetable.

[OKBobble]

Answered on other thread

[Ionacat]

It could be a number of factors probably staffing/timetabling at this time of the year, they compared the syllabi and decided that the RE would suit the cohort better? They may have decided to sit the exam in year 11 instead of year 10. Wait and see what the letter says from the school and take it from there. Ultimately the head of subject/faculty will have made this decision, and it would be very rare to make a big decision like this unless it was for circumstances outside their control e.g. staffing and/or the change would benefit the pupils.

[Changemyname18]

GCSE Religious Studies would be much more respected as a pass than GCSE Citizenship. Others will be able to tell you if RS would count as a humanities subject for EBacc purposes as well. If it did, it makes far more sense for schools to change to this. I also know of several schools that teach RS to GCSE level in a year and kids take this at the end of year 10 gaining very good grades. RS is a far more respected subject choice. Citizenship to me sounds like an extra GCSE to help those less academic kids. I'd only be complaining if it had been a swap from RS to Citizenship. RS teaches critical thought, ethics and independent thinking. Moving on, an A level in RS would be an excellent start for many degree courses.

[ChloeDecker]

Academies don’t have to follow the National Curriculum sadly.

[LIZS]

RS is a far better option. If she is currently y9 there is plenty of time to cover the syllabus, are you certain it is taken y10 not y11. There is no nc requirement for a gcse in either subject.

[Rosieposy4]

RS much better option than citizenship, good decision by the school imo