If you could change one thing at your child's school (money no object) what would it be? Teachers views welcomed too.

[bummer]

Imagine you have a fairy wand that actually works if it helps!

rarrie - Thank you for the info on philosophy A-level. DS is actually doing GCSE RE, so I was a bit concerned when you said it was a 'wasted' qualfication.

DS is at a fairly large school in North Lincolnshire (not private) so I doubt he will get a chance to do this A-level from what you say. His RE teacher is very good and very approachable and enthusiastic (only met him twice at parents' evenings however). I think I will write directly to this teacher and see what he thinks. I understand there are a couple of other pupils interested in this subject too.

THat kind of RE is rare blackandwhitecat but it does sadly still happen and is one of the reasons that I no longer teach in a church school despite being a devout catholic myself.

It is daft really because just because a student is in a catholic school it does not mean that they are catholic believers infact being teenagers they will rebell against anything that is taught them . But on the other hand if you send your kids to a Catholic school and they hvae been honest about their RE provision with you there is little you can complain about IMO.

But as for refusing to learn the ontological argument because it is debating the existence of god, that is piffle because the ontological argument only works if you are a believer in the first place! Sounds a very odd school and certainly not one I would like to teach in.

I don't think rarrie said RE A level was a wate of time, depending on the syllabus it can be one of the more challengin subjects though. I ahve taught A Level RE - the philosoph of religioh unit and my students loved it although it can be quite hard going for some pupils.

AS for GCSE RE being a waste , no GCSE is a waste , all qualifications count and can get that college place or wherever you want to go. UNless you need your sciences for medicine or to be avet most employers or colleges just want 5 A - C including maths and english. Again it depends how the subject is taught but no GCSE should ever be a waste of time.

Sorry, I definitely did not mean that A level RS is a waste of time. Hell, I'm an 'A' level lecturer in the subject, so I really don't think that!

As for GCSE, I'm sorry, but I do think that compared to other GCSEs it lacks academic rigour. Speaking as a parent, I personally would not advise my child to do it at GCSE, although I would be more than happy for her to study it at 'A' level. I have just found that too many students try doing A level RE thinking it will be easy, like their GCSE was and then get a huge shock. I personally find the jump between GCSE RE and A level RE greater than that of a lot of other subjects. Just my opinion mind!

Also, second the comments RE the Ontological argument - in fact all of them, it is strange that people won't discuss them because of their beliefs. As TS & P said, the OA only works when you are a believer. As for the others, they are also attempts to prove the existence of God, and so I have never found believers (whether Christian or Muslim) to have a problem with them. In fact, many of my Muslim students postively enjoy studying the Kalam (muslim) version of the cosmological argument, and for the Catholics, there's always good old Aquinas to throw in. In 8 years of teaching A level RS, I have never encountered such a problem. Sounds strange to me!!

I understood that Rarrie meant GSCE RE was a bit of a waste of a qualfication. I don't think she was talking about A-level philosophy.

I do agree it is a huge leap leap from GCSE RE to A Level and have also encountered pupils thinking it wouold be an easy option.

AS for GCSE RE, I think it is as challenging as the teacher and pupil want to make it really. AS I don't teach at a GCSE level for other subjects I can't comment on how it compares.

Depending on the syllabus it can be quite straightforward to pass as the Christian living styles of papers are just asking for your own view.

bump

Wish our school had a bigger hall.

Half the children have to eat their lunch in their classrooms as there isn't enough space!!!