Why is RE GCSE COMPULSORY???

[Melondramatic]

Dd just got her choices. And RE is a core subject!! How ridiculous

Anasnake...again, going by the school booklet; Politics and Ethics is covereed by their 'Citizenship' curriculum

Have a look at the syllabus. My 2 eldest took RE GCSE in year 9, the syllabus was more or less half religion and half ethics ethics - so abortion, assisted dying, same sex relationships - really interesting and thought provoking stuff. At our secondary, the more able children take RE GCSE in year 9 but it's not a compulsory option for all.

I'll ask for the third time, have you seen the syllabus ? Which exam board is it ?

I didn't study it at GCSE. Lots of schools round here, it's NOT compulsory.
It is for ds1, but that's because he's at a catholic secondary, so that's different.

"Lots of schools round here, it's NOT compulsory."

If it's a state school the study of it is. Taking the exam isn't.

I think it has a place... I'm not religious but I appreciate knowing the basics of other people's beliefs... ignorance surely only allows for bigotry to take root?

If it's taught in a 'this is a belief some people have and these are the components' rather than a 'this is god and it is the only true god' then I think it's a good thing.

I am really reassured by Anasnake and HugeAckmansWife...i hope she gets an RE teacher like you too. I want to study it myself now!

Im going to get hold of the syllabus and make sure they are going to cover the interesting stuff and not just Christianity and Islam

It kind of is a choice though isn’t it? As the opt out is (or used to be) very easy. I opted out (15+ years ago) to give me time in my timetable to take an extra foreign language to GCSE. I know other people who did the same. No issue with the subject - I expect it would have been interesting - but I was more interested in the language.

It's compulsory for the school to teach RE, but it's not compulsory for children to attend the lessons. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from RE and/or collective worship in state schools.

Op - out of the 4 RE teachers at my school 3 of us are atheist/Humanist. Teaching RE made me an atheist.

Anasnake i answered already. I havent seen the raw syllabus. Only the A4 summary of each subject provided by the school in a booklet. It only refers to learning about Christianity and Islam....2 exam papers to cover each.
I dont know what exam board it is

Most boards do a big ethics paper, if it's a non faith school the syllabus should include non religious views too so check that.

Ive just realised as well....no textiles/cooking/woodwork/metalwork on the timetable.....is that not studied to GCSE anymore?

Are you in NI? All sorts of bonkers RE policies here.

Princess At most schools, I suspect if you opt out, you don't get to do an extra subject, you have to go somewhere for supervised study. This is because RE isn't usually given the same hours as a full GCSE option.

There are 2 secondaries where I live. The one we don't go to, provides an opt out on the option form and so it counts as a proper 'option' and not doing it allows the pupil to do a different GCSE.
Our school doesn't mention opting out of RE for KS4, as I expect they think if you don't want RE tuition according to spirit education law you would have been expected to opt out on joining in y7.

Melon you need to ask the school directly and, if you wish, you have the legal right to withdraw your child from RE lessons.

Yeah princess...i think you can probably withdraw your child from any GCSE bar maths and english, if you felt strongly enough? I withdrew from a compulsory language.

Melon Tech subjects offered will vary from school to school. Our comp offers Food, textiles, Resistant materials (or something) and Product Design.

Lol, no BwatchWatcher tell me more!

www.gov.uk/national-curriculum/other-compulsory-subjects

Melon I imagine it depends on if the school offers it? My school (a little while ago, my kids aren't secondary yet so only my experience to compare!) did cooking, textiles, d&t, though I know they didn't replace the textiles teacher after she retired. Funding isn't what it used to be...

Melon Some schools give different pupils different options forms. So academic kids don't get offered tech and have to do triple science, MFL etc whereas less academic only do combined science, have to do a tech, or whatever.

Why not pop over to the Secondary board?

I did R.E at gcse and A’Level, I was a staunch Christian at the time, but by the end of the A Level I was an agnostic! They were both interesting courses and not taught as though we were supposed to believe in it all.
My year 9 daughter is finding the ethics side of it hard going as she finds all the abortion/suicide/euthanasia stuff quite depressing.

My DC went to different High Schools, DC1 dropped RE as part of GCSE options but at DC2's school it was compulsory.

I did R.E at gcse and A’Level, I was a staunch Christian at the time, but by the end of the A Level I was an agnostic

That seems to be the result doesnt it geranium (apart from my bil, who did a theology degree and believes Jesus is literally coming back to Earth! Which is horrifying and hilarious)

Im not worried dd will catch religion. I have no preference over whether she has faith or not. I can see the usefulness. Christianity saved my SILs life, i have no doubt about it. And i can see the use of a good moral code. I am not anti religion. I just dont believe