Why is RE GCSE COMPULSORY???

[Melondramatic]

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

I took my GCSEs in 1991 but certainly didn't study RE past age 14. It might have been included as a module within the "enrichment and rounding" type lessons we had to follow.

I can see the curriculum has improved massively and it could be really interesting. However, if a child has a particular study path in mind, compulsory RE could take up a valuable GCSE space needed for a more relevant subject. I wonder how much choice students really have? I know I only got to choose 3 subjects I think.

OP if your child doesn't desperately need to do a different GCSE in this timetable space, she might as well take it.

Re as a lesson is compulsory so some schools decide students may as well do the GCSE.

My dcs' school covers it in tutor time instead but actually a lot of people opt for Phil and ethics (= re)

I'm surprised if there are no tech options at all - not woodwork any more, maybe DT or resistant materials?

Yy gallic...dd is only choosing 3 subjects. We chose 6!! Only maths and english was compulsory when i was at school. That has suprised me a lot

Three choices is good going actually. Plenty of schools insist on MFL + history/geography, leaving only one choice in some cases.

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

If your dd has made her gcse choices, surely you’d know if she was taking the above?

At dd’s school, the girls take maths, English, triple science, one humanity, one creative, one language and one extra at gcse.

RE 'short course' was a doss when I was at school, very poor class discipline and I went the whole two years without handing in a single piece of homework. But it was stuff worth knowing IMHO, just having a good general familiarity with the world's major religions.

If it's a non religious state school it's not mandatory at any time. I opted out when I was in year 8, nothing the school could do about it

It is a statutory requirement for schools to teach RE to GCSE age. This was legislated for the 1944 Education Act and amended in subsequent Acts. It is not a requirement for kids to take the exam and as for all religious stuff in schools there is a parental opt out available.

Why don't you want to bring your child as a rounded individual ? Learning about different faiths, the way people live and worships etc. Reinforces tolerance.

Dd doesn't attend a faith school but it's a compulsory GCSE at her school as they say they have to learn it so may as well get a GCSE out of it. I don't mind as i think it's interesting and so does dd.

GCSE re is not compulsory.
It is compulsory to study RE to the age of 16, but not to have to take a full GCSE.
Some state schools chose to make their students take it as one of their options, some did a short course gcse in it, and others cover the mandatory aspects in none examined ways.

Dd didn't have to take it as a GCSE. She had one lesson a week, or fortnight, plus assemblies I think. But it wasn't one of her GCSEs and didn't affect her options.

DD's friend did have to do it as an extra GCSE but they had far fewer lessons allocated to it than other subjects. She wasn't interested and didn't want to do it, and therefore didn't really revise for it and didn't 'pass' as a result.

Personally I think it's a wonderful thing to put on the list of compulsory subjects. I'm an atheist and think religion is the bain of our society. But do I want my children to understand and respect other cultures and religions. Damn right I do.
Would you rather they had the option to do HomeEc or Woodwork???

Yes, i would snapnfarter!!

Tbh, dd understands more about 'other' religions and cultures than most adults

Why do the options instead have to be woodwork or home ec?

Children already have a restricted number of GCSE options. As it stands at present most children only get about 2 free options, and 2 restricted options (a language and a humanities - in some schools RE is in this option block) so I don't see why RE needs to be yet another compulsory one. I'm glad Dd wasn't restricted in this way, as is she.

@snapnfarter yeah... They are better options

The options at DD's school would have included a range of DT topics, which hone ex etc may come under. However it would also include geography, history, an additional languages, a third science, computing, drama, PE, geology, Latin/Classics, art, and more.

There were more subjects she would prefer to do a GCSE in than RE.

PE is also compulsory to age 16 but fewer schools chose to add that as a compulsory GCSE in the same way they do with RE.

It is very easy to find a syllabus online. There are only a few exam boards. Google GCSE RE and have a read. There's nothing to be scared of.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-religious-studies

dd is only choosing 3 subjects. We chose 6!!
Students at our school used to take 13 GCSEs. That was changed a few years ago to 10 because of budget cuts (we have had a reduction in funding of £1m over the past three years, whilst student numbers have increased).

At my kids school it definitely wasn't.

Of course it's compulsory. Don't you want your child to be able to learn and understand perspectives different to their own?

What a strange comment. Why the "of course"? It ISN'T a compulsory GCSE in most schools.

And the idea of learning different perspectives etc. is a good reason to include RE in the national curriculum--it does not necessity form a good reason for making the GCSE compulsory.

13 gcses is ridiculous and unnecessary. Dd is taking 9. She'll do well. I don't think schools have cut down the number of gcses due to budget cuts but because excessive numbers of gcses are silly.

Head of RE here and I refuse to make it compulsory but under the 1944 Education Act some form of Religious Education has to be taught through to 18. Most schools ensure this by GCSE RS.
I know I am biased but it is a good course and if she gives it a decent chance she might enjoy it... especially the Philosophy and Ethics bits. Take a look at the specification yourself as you might be surprised at the range of issues we discuss.

I thought it was only compulsory in faith schools?

Thr same faith schools that people bend over backwards to get into as the results are good.

Can we stop with the "RE = rounded individuals" bollocks? You can cover all you need to know about the major world religions in two weeks of a philosophy course.