Why is RE GCSE COMPULSORY???

[Melondramatic]

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

It sounds like the OP could do with some RE lessons herself!

RE has been my dcs fave subject in two cases. Its the only one where they've had to actually think. Don't know about more rounded but its certainly more intellectual than you seem to think

Something must of changed recently then.
I did my GCSE late 90s you could pick re as an option if you wanted but it wasn't compulsory.

Ds1 year 11 now and dropped re as part of his GCSE choices.
Dd year 9 now is going to be picking her GCSEs soon. Re is now a compulsory GCSE.
They are both at the same school too so I'm baffled there.

Schools keep changing their minds, which is why the question about researching the school upthread is irrelevant.
Citizenship was compulsory for DD's year, but not the following year.

A lot of what a school offers now in terms of options depends on different 'buckets' that the different GCSEs fall into. Schools are a measured on progress 8 and some subjects have more weighting than others so students have to do maths, english and science, ebac subjects and then there is an open bucket but this often depends on the staffing in the school. So they may not be able to offer computer science as they don't have someone to teach it (this is a lot different a subject to IT of past so not always can the old IT teacher teach computer science). So even though some of the subjects may sound really good the school may not have employed someone to teach it as this teacher would not have q full timetable for a couple of GCSE sets and so it makes more sense to have the students doing RE as they have to do it in ks3 so tiring full time teachers that will teach their subject for a full timetable rather than an African studies teacher (or whatever you said the subject was) teaching a few hours of their subject then filling the rest of their timetable with subjects they aren't trained to teach - then parents would be complaining they didn't have the right teacher in front of their students. You can look at the syllabus all you like but it isn't the school that set the syllabus it is the exam board so really it doesn't matter your opinion of it, the school will teach it for the exam. She can be withdrawn but then she will end up at a disadvantage as she will have one less GCSE and she won't be able to do another in this time as there won't be a member of staff to teach her.

d's is currently doing A level RE and loving it. says it is by far the most interesting subject as you can get to argue from such a wide range of beliefs ideals morals, ethics, philosophy. that there is constantly something new to discover and learn.

i find it really sad ok that you seem to think it's enough if she doesn't believe that she knows a Muslim and a minister. IMO RE is far more useful than computer science. computer science will be out of date in 5-10 years RE will give a base of understanding over a wide ranging area. it's not all about believing in a God.

btw I have had children in 3 different secondaries 1 a faith school all 3 had it as a GCSE all4 of my children enjoyed it as a subject. 2 of mine are agnostics they still felt it was a interesting subject....

Surely you checked this before sending your DD to the school? Has it changed that much in three/fours years?

LaDaronne

And where might under 18s attend a 2 week philosophy course? My school certainly didn't, so for those without such things of course RE offers a forum for wider thinking and debate, not sure what's "bollocks" about that. No perhaps not the only option to round someone's education off but a more universally available one.

IMO RE is far more useful than computer science. computer science will be out of date in 5-10 years

Couldn't agree more. And computer science at gcse level really IS a subject you could teach yourself at home without the benefit of discussion groups

Because we don't want to be like the USA and have hate for any other religions?

RE as a subject is compulsory. It isn't compulsory to do a GCSE in it, but lots of schools choose to do this as the children have to study it anyway.

This. Some schools have done away with formal RE lessons but have put the required content into PSHE and citizenship at ks4.

The fact people still think it's uniquely witty to refer to a GCSE in fairies probably highlights the need for religious studies.

I strongly don’t think it should be compulsory in any school to take a gcse in RE but that’s due to me thinking children should have as much free choice as to options as possible. I do think however that it should be allowed to be included in the humanities bucket.

My children go to two different schools. Theyare both atheists. Dd chose to take RE. It was her favourite subject, she got a 9 and has opted to take it to A level. For those that don’t opt for it there was a weekly PHSE/Citizenship single period.

Ds hates it. He struggles with essay subjects and constructing arguments. He has opted for mostly technical and scientific subjects. It would be unfair to force him to drop a subject he will pass such as music or food tech to take RE. His school timetable one lesson of non exam RE per fortnight.

poisonoussmurf you are hugely mistaken, if you think learning about religion, improves religious tolerance

It's an easy GCSE, OP. I did it. Even though I never went to church and my family is not at all religious, I put absolute minimum effort in and got a C. I hear it's much the same now.

Ds age 16 is an atheist but is fantastic at RE and finds it very interesting, he even wants to do it for a level. Reason? He loves a good debate, creating a good argument and is really good at it. RE gets alot more interesting in the GCSE years when taught well. It's more about morality and ethical decisions. Yes the main source is the bible at GCSE but it's taught as an academic subject not religious instruction. Whether we like it or not religion forms a huge part of history and informs and explains social and political issues. It's perfect for learning essay skills.

I'm not going to get into this debate too far, but it used to be that, in Scotland, the only subject that had to be taught, by law was RE. Of course, you're clearly in England, so I have no idea whether this is/was covered by law there, too. However, as others have said, your DC would benefit from studying it, as clearly your atheism is of the very blinkered variety.

I think the subject is compulsory to study but you’re not necessarily taking the gcse unless you’ve chosen it. That’s how I understand it from my dds school anyway

And where might under 18s attend a 2 week philosophy course?

People writing from a UK perspective seem to think RE is absolutely indispensable, but millions of pupils in other parts of the world don't study religion at all and still come out as well-rounded people. Conversely, I did study RE at a Christian ethos school in the UK and everything I know about other major world religions comes from my own general knowledge, we didn't spend a single hour on them at school. You might as well say UK pupils aren't well rounded because they don't know anything about major philosophies, which every French schoolchild spends two years studying.

Personally, I'd ban religion from schools and society altogether.

In my DD’s school its put in the column where the “subjects you cant really be arsed to do/college day out” Along with art, child studies, law, public-services, drama etc.

Thats why my DD1 did it as there was no other option and no room for manoeuvre. She got an E in it. Hated it, boring. Her sister also chose it due to lack of options. The school is failing those kids.

Because we don't want to be like the USA and have hate for any other religions?

And yet Tommy Robinson will have had compulsory RE at school. Hardly foolproof is it?

@Melondramatic

poisonoussmurf you are hugely mistaken, if you think learning about religion, improves religious tolerance

and you are hugely mistaken if you think knowing a minister and a muslim creates a wider understanding of what RE is and how it has helped shape our society as it is today. When taught well RE can he the .most fascinating subject no matter if you have a religious belief or not.

I find many of the posts on this thread very sad and some hugely lacking in education.. Hopefully your dd1 will not grow up as one of them.

Why is that true of religion but not of philosophy Enko? Why insist on the former but not the latter?

RE at gcse and a level is philosophy. That's what's a bit depressing about some of these posts.

I usually find that the people who have issues with RE are usually people with conservative or fundamentalist religious beliefs ( hearing about other religions is a risk because the child might ask questions) or militant smug atheist types who think they're witty by talking about sky fairies etc (again, heaven forbid their child developed respect for other people's faith and didn't grow up to be insufferably smug talking about people talking to imaginary friends/voices in their heads)

Most middle of the road people of all faiths and none just get on with it and are quite tolerant. They may not love RE, they may find it boring (just like some students find music or DT boring) but it's just another subject.

But why TF should it be compulsory then MaisyPops? Why give it that special status if it's just another subject?