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Original poster

Religious Studies is compulsory at GCSE?!

57 replies

AnnaK · 13/02/2017 18:46

DS is in Yr 8 and is choosing his options. RE is a compulsory GCSE subject. He hates it! And surely it is illegal? According to the Gov.uk website children can be pulled out of it in KS3.

DS is super bright, expected grades ranging from 7 to 9 in all subjects and would rather concentrate on something useful to his future.

Any thoughts on how to proceed? I really do not want him wasting his time on RE when it could be better spent elsewhere.

Many thanks!

OP posts:
troutsprout · 13/02/2017 19:20

Dd's school have recently removed it as a compulsory gcse and they have to use up an option if they want to take it at gcse. It's a shame for her as she enjoys it ( likes debating and ethics) . Also she says the behaviour/ attitude of kids to the subject has gone down hill since the school made this move.

Original poster
AnnaK · 13/02/2017 19:15

I really appreciate your replies so far, thank you!

There are lots of issues here for me. He is a bright child with no interest in the subjects mentioned within the syllabus (thank you Anasnake). He is more of a computer science, maths physics person.

He is doing well with English, his written work is excellent, so there is no need for additional essay subjects.

He has two free choices, apart from French/ Spanish, History/Geography. Of these, he has chosen Spanish and History. He would like to do Music, Computer Science and ICT, but can't because RE is compulsory.

For him it is a wasted opportunity. He is finding that in the compulsory subjects, the behaviour is terrible because some of the kids don't care. This is unlikely to improve in a subject like RE if everyone is forced to study it!

And, for the record, we are Christian and go to church most Sundays, so the religious input is definitely there.

OP posts:
Freddorika · 13/02/2017 19:12

Dd loves gcse Re and is now doing and loving the a level. She's an atheist.

clary · 13/02/2017 19:08

At the school where I work everyone does RE GCSE. They are not wasting time, as it is studied anyway (as others say, this is the law), and the school says, well, might as well do GCSE in it. They only have one lesson a week on it tho and a good number used to do the short course ie half a GCSE (not sure if this still exists actually!)

All schools do not do this - RE (or philosophy and ethics) is an option at my DCs' school, and the compulsory RE element for KS4 is covered in other ways (assembly, form time).

I suggest you find out how much time he would spend on RE lessons and pull him out if you want to. Ask them what he would be doing if you did this. My guess is not another GCSE, sorry.

Agree with others, Phil and Ethics is a really challenging GCSE and well worth doing. DS2 has seriously considered it and in fact put it on his form (in 4th place but still!) He loves the chance to argue the case for something and hear others' PoV.

Anasnake · 13/02/2017 18:58

Have you looked at the GCSE syllabus ??
RE at GCSE is very ethics based - particularly if the school is non faith (Catholic schools follow different courses). Students look at issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, ivf, life after death, genetic engineering, the ethics of war and politics. They have to look at Christian attitudes to these issues plus one other religion and atheist/humanist attitudes. (The Humanist society went to court to ensure their views were included).
I'm an RE teacher and an atheist (you'd be surprised how many of us are Wink)

booellesmum · 13/02/2017 18:51

DD'S school does RE in year 10 and it is compulsory.
She absolutely loved the gcse - much different to normal RE as is more about ethics. Even considering it for a- level and she's an atheist.
It is heavily essay based and is not seen as a soft/easy gcse at all. Wouldn't say a waste of time as helps them to formulate arguments which is very helpful later on.

tiggytape · 13/02/2017 18:48

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