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Original poster

Non-religious state school requires Religious Studies at GCSE

59 replies

chillberry · 21/05/2021 10:37

One of the non-religious state secondaries we're looking at requires Religious Studies at GCSE. This seems quite surprising and a bit disappointing tbh.

We're not a religious family, but we talk about respecting those who are religious and about the importance of learning about different religions and belief (or non-belief) systems. We don't mind the approach to RE at primary level, as our school is very inclusive. However, I'm not that keen on our DC being given no choice about pursuing RS at GCSE when they could be choosing other subjects that are of more interest to them.

I'm waiting to hear back from the school as to whether there's any flexibility around it, but would be curious about what others think. We didn't grow up in the British school system, so I'm wondering how common this is. No other similar school sin our London area require it.

OP posts:
pointythings · 21/05/2021 14:25

At our local school the number of GCSEs depends on whether a student is doing triple science or not - if they are, they'll be doing 10. DD1 did 10 including RE, DD2 did 10 plus Finance, but that was a piece of cake - she didn't revise and got an A, so it was just a bit of icing on the cake. RE would have been better.

Ilovemaisie · 21/05/2021 13:15

The topics covered in RS are compulsory up to age 16. Even colleges that take 14 year olds on alternative education schemes the children have to do a version of it. In other words you have to do it whether it's a GCSE or not.

TeenMinusTests · 21/05/2021 13:00

The standard at DD's comp is 9.5 incl 0.5 RE.
If you do triple science it is 10.5
If you choose to do RE full GCSE it is 9 (or 10 if doing triple science)

They start RE and Science in y9, proper options subjects start in y10.

clary · 21/05/2021 12:52

@paralysedbyinertia

So they don't need to do any work outside that one lesson a week, but they still come out with half a GCSE? Doesn't really sound like half of a GCSE tbh, just a certificated course of some kind.

The schools near us with mandatory RE do it as a full subject, and it replaces one option. I wouldn't mind if it was just one lesson a week and no homework.

Pretty much. Mind you this is info from a few years ago so it may have changed. It was a short-course GCSE. It's a thing, it's not a particularly challenging thing...

AQA used to offer short course in MFL (don't think they do now) - you did either listening paper and writing coursework or reading paper and speaking coursework. Obviously it took a lot less time (or effort) that doing the whole GCSE.

paralysedbyinertia · 21/05/2021 12:49

@UserAtRandom

Plenty of schools only allow 8 or 9 GCSEs, so I'd argue 9+ RS is having it as an extra subject.

My daughter is not keen on science but has been forced to take 2 GCSEs in it. She'd have rather focussed on other subjects. Why does no one have an issue with this?

Ah, ok. All of the local schools round here do ten. Some including RE, some not.
paralysedbyinertia · 21/05/2021 12:48

So they don't need to do any work outside that one lesson a week, but they still come out with half a GCSE? Doesn't really sound like half of a GCSE tbh, just a certificated course of some kind.

The schools near us with mandatory RE do it as a full subject, and it replaces one option. I wouldn't mind if it was just one lesson a week and no homework.

TheFnozwhowasmirage · 21/05/2021 12:48

My dd's school don't have it as compulsory. Dd1 did her GCSES in 2019 and Dd2 has just been assessed for hers this year.

UserAtRandom · 21/05/2021 12:45

Plenty of schools only allow 8 or 9 GCSEs, so I'd argue 9+ RS is having it as an extra subject.

My daughter is not keen on science but has been forced to take 2 GCSEs in it. She'd have rather focussed on other subjects. Why does no one have an issue with this?

clary · 21/05/2021 12:44

@paralysedbyinertia

A lot of people are saying that it's an extra qualification, but that isn't the case in the schools I know that have a compulsory RE GCSE - they still do the standard ten GCSEs like my dd's school, they just have one less option.

Are people saying that the kids at these schools are actually doing 11 GCSEs, and if so, doesn't that make for a heavier workload/reduced time for the other ten subjects?

As I and others have said, a lot of schools cover the curriculum in the one lesson a week they would give to RS anyway.

So at my old school they did 10 full GCSEs (or 9 if doing double science) and then half an RS GCSE on top. Most didn't worry too much about it as it was fairly low-key so they didn't get stressed. And it didn't eat into their time on other subjects - or at least, only in the way that core PE, assemblies, lunchtime did.

paralysedbyinertia · 21/05/2021 12:41

A lot of people are saying that it's an extra qualification, but that isn't the case in the schools I know that have a compulsory RE GCSE - they still do the standard ten GCSEs like my dd's school, they just have one less option.

Are people saying that the kids at these schools are actually doing 11 GCSEs, and if so, doesn't that make for a heavier workload/reduced time for the other ten subjects?

Original poster
chillberry · 21/05/2021 12:38

Thanks paralysedbyinertia -- you've articulated exactly the way I feel about it.

Helpful to hear everyone's insight into how the subject is taught. Philosophy, ethics, debate -- all hugely valuable, of course, but RS isn't the only way to gain exposure to those areas IMO.

Will find out details from the school about their approach.

OP posts:
Allington · 21/05/2021 12:35

As others have said, it's not pushing out another subject - it is using the time they have to spend on it anyway to get an extra qualification.

paralysedbyinertia · 21/05/2021 12:29

@Theimpossiblegirl

I'm always surprised there are parents who don't want their children to learn about different faiths, cultures, ethicaln issues, values etc. RE is not Christian indoctrination. A little bit of education and understanding can go a long way.
It isn't the case that I don't want my dd to learn about this stuff at all. On the contrary, I think it's really important. However, there is plenty of time in the ten years of education prior to GCSEs to cover the major religions adequately. When the kids choose their options, they have a limited number of subjects that they can do, so choices have to be made. RE is not so important in my eyes that it should be treated as a compulsory subject, thereby pushing out other subjects that might be equally interesting and important.
autumnboys · 21/05/2021 12:24

I think most of the secondaries around us have it as a compulsory half GCSE. My year 10 is sitting an internal exam for his today.

TeenMinusTests · 21/05/2021 12:24

@Theimpossiblegirl

I'm always surprised there are parents who don't want their children to learn about different faiths, cultures, ethicaln issues, values etc. RE is not Christian indoctrination. A little bit of education and understanding can go a long way.
I suspect a lot of the time it isn't not wanting them to learn but not realising that a) RE is broadly compulsory under the national curriculum b) often the qualification is only a 0.5 GCSE not a whole one c) schools tend to allocate less time to the qualification so their DC aren't being prevented from studying another full GCSE d) not realising the content of the qualification anyway
Theimpossiblegirl · 21/05/2021 12:20

I'm always surprised there are parents who don't want their children to learn about different faiths, cultures, ethicaln issues, values etc. RE is not Christian indoctrination. A little bit of education and understanding can go a long way.

flipflo · 21/05/2021 12:16

Don't get too hung up on it, it's not RE like you remember - it's more philosophy, ethics, debating. It turned into my (atheist) son's favourite subject.

SE13Mummy · 21/05/2021 12:04

My DCs' state, non-religious, London comprehensive has all students study RS and take a full GCSE in it. As others have said, it is a curriculum requirement that all students study RS in some form until the end of Y11 and many of the GCSE courses address issues of ethics and philosophy as well as providing a good grounding in debate and reasoned argument.

If your family truly values 'the importance of learning about different religions and belief (or non-belief) systems' then I'd imagine the opportunity to study GCSE RS as a given - rather than having to choose between it and another subject - would be an excellent match.

TeenMinusTests · 21/05/2021 11:48

DD's school have it as a compulsory half GCSE that is sat in y10.
They have to teach RE in KS4 so they roll it in to a qualification and use it as formal exam practice for y10. It doesn't take up anywhere near the time of a full GCSE option. You need to view it as a 'bonus' qualification rather than it stopping something else.

DD actually decided to do the full GCSE, I find it very interesting.

ShakeaHettyFeather · 21/05/2021 11:47

It's often only a half GCSE course. It's not indoctrinating into any particular religion - there's facts about religions but most of it is coming up with coherent arguments and thinking about ethics and how people come up with different moral judgements. Many schools figure that as RE/PHSE is compulsory, the kids might as well get a qualification out of it.

There are many more things I'd complain about in the curriculum before that.

clary · 21/05/2021 11:44

The school I used to work at was definitely not a faith school and RS was a compulsory subject at GCSE there.

The reasoning was, it has to be taught, so may as well do a GCSE in it. They only did one lesson a week and most did it as a short-course (half) GCSE.

The full GCSE is very interesting and really not about being religious. It encourages debate and learning about what others believe and how that has shaped our world. DS2 nearly chose it (great teacher too) but opted for CS instead.

How many other GCSEs are taken? Chances are it will be an extra rather than one of the nine/10. I would find out how it is done at the school before you worry too much.

MyVisionsComeFromSoup · 21/05/2021 11:33

All my DC did it, the school's view was that as they had to teach RE anyway, they might as well get a GCSE out of it. It didn't take the space of any other GCSE, so didn't limit A level options.

pointythings · 21/05/2021 11:25

RS or RE? DD1 did RE GCSE in 2017, and it was compulsory because it had to be taught anyway. She loved it, so much debate on moral, ethical and philosophical issues, and it was very well taught.

DD2 didn't do the GCSE because there weren't enough teachers to teach it to GCSE standard so it was a waste of an hour a week for her. She did Finance instead and hated it.

idontlikealdi · 21/05/2021 11:08

I loved my RE GCSE and it's really good for developing writing/ research and debating skills. I was and am as atheist as you can get.

UserAtRandom · 21/05/2021 10:58

Lots of schools do this. As PP says, it's because religious studies teaching is compulsory so many schools think they may as well enter students for the GCSE if they've studied it anyway.
You can always withdraw your DC from religious teachings.