...to expect students and parents to take my subject seriously?

[TeacherAnonymous123]

Issue coming from another thread I posted, so thought I would ask for people's opinions.

I teach Religious Studies at a Catholic Secondary School. As it is my subject, I am clearly biased, but I believe that students learning about other religions and cultures is extremely important for their development and attitude towards the world and other people.

As it is a Catholic school, students must take RS at GCSE. Their first exam in it is tomorrow morning and some of them are still apathetic, telling me that parents have said not to bother trying as it isn't an important subject and it doesn't matter if they fail.

Obviously this leads to a battle in lesson which I cannot win as I do not have support from parents.

So parents - do you think RS is an important and relevant subject? If not, why not?

DD is keeping RE as an option for GCSE. We’re staunch atheists but she recognises the value of understanding a variety of beliefs and thought processes.

I’ve supported her to do this. (She’s done it at the expense of geography and history, although she might do history outside of school.)

I had to do RE as went to a church school. It’s been helpful to have an awareness of beliefs in my career (I’m in HR).

As it is a Catholic school, students must take RS at GCSE.

I think this your issue OP. I have some experience of this, as both my DC almost ended up at a Catholic secondary school and having to do RS at GCSE was seen as a downside for us. I think it's an interesting and valuable subject and I'd have been perfectly happy for my DC to take it, if they'd chosen to do so. Being forced to 'use up' one of their valuable subject choices on a subject that they probably wouldn't have chosen though? That's not great, either for the DC or the poor teachers of that subject, who will then have quite a few disengaged students in their classroom. I feel for you, I really do.

It's a tough one -
Learning about different faiths and beliefs is very important for the society we live in.
Children NEED to learn this.
But does it need to be tested on?
Not everything in life needs to be tested on. Sometimes learning something for the sake of just knowing the knowledge is enough.
But ....if the school did it as a non GCSE parents would probably complain about lesson time being taken up by a non exam subject.
You can't really win @TeacherAnonymous123 .
I did RS for GCSE. The curriculum then was a Christianity based one and involved a lot of analysing things I simply didn't understand and a lot of assumptions that we knew "basics" of Christianity (I didn't).
I did terrible - Grade F.
Sorry 🙁

My DS's school wasn't RC but it was compulsory to do a 'half' GCSE

Total waste of time IMO

I agree that anything where it’s ‘forced’ (unless essential for working life such as English and maths) is a major problem. I was made to take Art at my school, purely because it was a small school and they weren’t prepared to flex the timetable for anyone (we all had the same options for the 9 and if you wanted to take additional subjects - Music and German - you had to do them after school). I was a straight A/A star student. I had to drop Music which I loved (predicted A) because I couldn’t juggle both. Finished with 4A stars, 5As and a C in Art - based entirely on my written coursework as I cannot draw or paint for my life. I’m still annoyed about it now and really cross every time I have to share my GCSE certificate (I’m 35!)

As it is a Catholic school, students must take RS at GCSE.

That's interesting. What's the curriculum/module selection like? Is it like old-fashioned RI or still still very much like RE; a comparative study of world religions?

You'd get a very different cohort and dynamic if it was an elective subject. Then you'd only have to worry about the KS3ers not being keen.

I always adored RE but it was very much an option and very much a "useful for living jn a multiculture" humanity for me.

Sorry, but I think there are far better things for kids to be doing with their time. I would never send my kids to a religious school, and compulsory religious education is a big part of why.

I'm kind of biased.

When i was at school in the 90's we were allowed to drop it for GCSE, i didn't, i picked it back up in terms of doing Philosophy at A Level as i intended to go to study it at Uni. I don't feel studying it benefited my knowledge in any way, for the record, the research, learning i've done since has been much more enlightening.

I like religion/faith, i did go to church, but i converted to Paganism part way through my A levels for various reasons and it changed my path forward.

I do think that learning about other faiths/cultures is important, but my daughter is being forced to use up one of her GCSE's for a subject she isn't interested in, and would rather have done something else.

I feel the cultural side of it should be taught under a different umbrella from 'religious studies' in a more.. sociology/anthropology sense.

I think it's important. So is PE, art and music but I will be honest I care far more about DS doing well in English , maths and other academic subjects.

I did RS A Level, and so I’m a fan.

But if it was forced on me, I would be much more resistant to it. Especially in a Catholic school where it was part of a wider picture of forced faith.

Well it's compulsory (by law) to learn RE until 16 so they might as well get a qualification from it. Being tested also forces (most of) them to engage meaningfully with the syllabus.

I honestly think that's the best system - half Gcse course for all and pupils who are really interested can do the full GCSE as an option.

It might end up being RE teaching that saves us.

I think learning about other cultures and ethics is important.

However, I'm an atheist as is DD and she won't be taking the subject further after GCSEs so I wouldn't put as much weight on preparing for that exam as I would for maths and science which she needs 7s on to progress to Sixth Form.

I am surprised that you have a problem at a Catholic school though presumably most people are practicing and believe?

@Oldraver why do you think it was a waste of time?
There is an awful lot of ignorance about different faiths among adults - which frequently leads to hatred.

I think it's a valuable subject. I went to a catholic school and children studied/ studying for religious studies GCSE also at catholic schools. Useful skills to be gained even if you're not particularly religious. I can see people's point of view however. I always encourage my children to focus on maths/ English/ science because of their importance in progressing to the next stage and large content (science)

I am one of those parents that thinks it is ridiculous to be forced to study RS as a GCSE option.

Yes I an glad they learn about other religions but I don't think it should be a compulsory GCSE which it is in my DDs school.

@LameBorzoi it's compulsory in all schools.
Some secondary schools may combine it within PHSE but all have to study RS in one form or another until 16 (in England anyway).

I think it’s important to learn about. I don’t think it’s important to have a qualification in it so no, I wouldn’t care as much about that exams as their other subjects.

To be honest...
I would advise my DD to prioritise revision time. And RS, unless she had chosen it as an option, would be low priority behind maths, Sciences and English. Especially since her projection for English is low due to struggling with bits due to her dyslexia.

Would want her to try her best though.

@Singleandproud we are also a catchment school in the middle of a relatively poor town - we have lots of Polish Catholic families, but we have lots of Muslim students and non-religious families.

My argument is that parents know we are a Catholic school when they send their children here

(For the record, I am not Catholic).

Honestly I wouldn't personally class it as a valuable subject - we also had to take it as a GCSE, tbh I can't remember anything we learnt and I don't think I've ever applied it in my daily life! It also didn't factor into any further education I took, as a requirement or something useful, so again it wasn't valuable for me.

@LameBorzoi can you explain your reasoning behind this? We're the best performing secondary in the area, which is why many parents choose to send their children here.

My son wasn't able to take RS as it clashed with another option that he needed. As a household we're actually a mix of atheist/pagan and he leans toward heathen, but absolutely loves learning about all other religions and mythology. He has actually chosen it as his third A Level (his intended career path being maths and physics) just because he finds it so interesting. On the other hand, he absolutely hates German, but was forced to take it as a GCSE. He deliberately sabotaged his mocks and has succeeded in being removed from the final exams. I found this disappointing very because although I know he doesn't intend to use it for anything, it surely doesn't hurt to just try your best! You can't force kids to take an interest, but the parents really shouldn't be adding to their apathy.

1. I expect my children to show everyone respect, and particularly their teachers, regardless of topic. It is completely inappropriate for a parent to undermine a teacher at home. My 6yo DD was given a 2cm-thick pack of homework to do OVER CHRISTMAS. I thought it was ridiculous. I asked a couple of my teacher friends and they agreed it was ridiculous. But with my DD: I slapped on a smile and we got on with the homework, because what sort of example would I be setting otherwise?

2. I am in Canada so don’t know the UK system well, but don’t GSCEs stay on your educational record until university? I would never be ok with my children not making an effort in a course and failing it - be that RE, English, or “intro to knitting holey socks”

3. These families chose a Catholic school. What were they expecting???

I'd fully expect parents to support it, given they've actively chosen a catholic school and should be well aware that religion will form part of their child's education. The 'forced religion' moaners don't really have a case when they've selected a religious setting IMO.

They aren't being forced to actively practise a religion and with the cultural insensitivity shown so casually in life it's surely only a good thing that our youth are being taught this subject.