How would you feel with this GCSE policy?

9 is fine but the compulsory RE would put me off

That does seem a bit rubbish. Ours does 10 GCSE’s and RE isn’t compulsory so they get to pick a good choice and science double award is available.

If this is a state school OP, it is COMPULSORY to take all 3 sciences. Double award is teaching all 3 sciences. I have no idea how a school would get away with only entering and teaching 2 of the 3 sciences. It would also massively limit them beyond (as it's so unusual!).
8 have no in exceptional circumstances that a student be entered for 1 or 2 of the singles sciences. But in theory that is because he or she hasn't been able to attend school. But all 3 would have been taught and on their original timetable.

I thought 2 English (lit and lang) was compulsory?

Check if English actually takes up 2 spots - English Language and English Literature are both compulsory in many schools (Although English Lit is not legally required).

If English takes up 2 spots then that’s effectively only 1 choice left, I wouldn’t be happy with that.

More and more schools seem to be moving to 9 GCSEs max though which inevitably narrows options. I think it’s a shame for those pupils who would be quite capable of more and would value the breadth.

It’s not unusual overall. Not having to take all three sciences is rather unusual in state schools IME, but compulsory RE is quite common.

And nine GCSEs is actually the most common number taken – followed by eight. The reform of GCSEs in 2017/18, as you may well know (so apologies if so) has meant a lot more content to assimilate and more exams, so schools have in many cases cut down on the number of GCSEs sat, to allow it to be more manageable for students.

There is no need to take 11 or 12 GCSEs after all. I do take on board your concern @DecisionParalysis about the limited possibilities to cover arts, creatives, MFL, humanities with just two options. That’s nothing new tho – a friend of DS2's was telling me about his options – "I’m taking PE” – he basically had one choice as he had to take history or geog and French. And that's about 10 years ago.

I think RE being one of the nine and double science not being possible makes it worse; but I guess then your DC if keen on arts/hums could choose just two sciences and then would be able to pick (say) history, German and drama. RE is a humanity as well if that’s of interest. Or if they enjoyed STEM they could do three sciences, CS and an MFL. That's all good.

Overall I don’t think this would put me off a school.

I think it's fine, but may be slightly biased as DC chose to do 3 separate sciences and RE in their options..

If you're not happy with it though then keep looking.