priorities in education ...according to MPs do you agree?

[mrz]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17068153?utm

no!

and I am wondering if any more subjects become part of the EBacc (and if the EBacc begins to have an actual worth) we'll have to stop calling them 'options choices'

however... I do agree with this:

I believe it is absolutely essential they are taught about different cultures and religions by trained, experienced RE teachers, allowing children to make informed choices

However, the trained RE teacher bit applies to secondary schools and happens already

Just for clarity, they are suggesting that RE should be one of the choices for a humanities subject alongside geography and history. They are not suggesting that it should be an additional compulsory GCSE. So this would be increasing choice, not reducing it.

I agree RE should be included as one of the humanities options for the EBacc.

I actually wish they would think up a "better" name for the subject than RE though (and hopefully get rid of all the associated negative connotations with this term)

I've already signed the form for DD to give up RE in year 10

Thanks for the chlarification. However, in my school RE is already compulsory (I had assumed it was as part of the National Curriculum) but not as a full GCSE.

So, is the Government offering the full GCSE option on top of this?

Secondly, the choice in the EBacc, as not been an issue around the hummanities side of things but the languages.

Finally, in my school RE is not called RE (for the reasons stated above) and has been offered as a half GCSE and is still not taken hugely seriously by a great number of children

My son does TP (theology and philosophy) which according to him is RE - does sound better though!

At DCs school it is compulsory unless parents choose to opt out - and the opt out slip is on the bottom of the GCSE choices form
DD is doing lots of subjects and we are not a god family so it seemed only sensible to opt out
PE remains compulsory - both as non GCSE time

I would like RE replaced with a subject called something like " beliefs, thought and ethics" including subjects such as , decision-making, an introduction to key philosophies, religion, human rights, ethics, humanism etc.

Tolerance and mutual understanding is important but I wouldn't prioritise teaching about religion as an academic subject in schools. It can be taight in other ways.

I don't see why RE shouldn't be an option. When I was at school, along with history ang geography we had the option of 'humanities' which was a mixture of religion and ethics.

I wonder if the Sheffield Christian Free School will be taking this advice.

My daughter is taking RE as an additional GCSE, having after school lessons. Because she is in all the top sets, she has been put in in the E Bacc stream. However her thing is Music, and this does not form part of the EBacc! Apparently its not academic enough!!!! What? have you seen what they have to do for music GCSE ? She's taking it anyway, but it was hard to fit it in because it didn't form the main body of subjects to study,when she chose her 'Options'...I fail to see how something is an option whenyou are pretty much forced to take it!!

jamdonut..that's exactly what I have found as a teacher and what I meant in my first post.

The EBacc sounds like a great idea in many ways but, in reality, it does restrict a lot of people's options based on what the Government decides is academic enough to count!

I suppose it goes back to what mrz described as 'priorities' in her opening post.

Trust mrz to come up with this little gem!

Music is not just what she enjoys...she is actually very good in all apects of it ,and wants to be a secondary school music teacher.

However, she is also very good at french,maths,history and is taking gcse english lit early. She had to drop geography even though she was good at it and enjoyed it, because she wanted/needed to do music .

I'm pleased you find it so interesting magdalene shame you don't have an opinion.

MigratingCoconuts everone seems to have different ideas about what should be taught in schools ... we are already overcrowded so subjects don't receive the depth of study they perhaps deserve. I just wondered what subjects people believe should be a priority in both primary and secondary sectors.

Yes, its an interesting idea to discuss mrz.

I remember it being an issue when the first National curriculum (science was up to 17 attainment targets alone in knowledge considered vital) was drawn up and it has remained so ever since

I'm so old we did three separate science subjects until O levels when I wasn't allowed to study physics because I was a girl it made pure maths difficult at A level

I meant to add that, whilst I can understand what the EBacc is trying to achieve, I do like the flexibility we have had at present, it is more adaptable to indivual needs.

And also, that the EBacc currently has very little teeth at all. (time will tell if universities change that and make it an entrance requirement...)

me too mrz but I did do physics (wasn't allowed to do metalwork or woodwork though!)

We did 4 weeks of woodwork (in 7 years) and made an egg rack

When I was at mu Grammar school in the 70s, we were 'taught' RE by having to learn verses of the Bible for homework (I didn't know Islam existed until I was about 18 and only knew about Judaism because jesus was a Jew (even more ).

Over the years, the RE syllabus has broadened its scope as it has developed to include learning about other world religions. I can see that this is useful in historical, political and religious contexts. So, I can understand that 'RE' as it is taught now should be a valid part of the 'humanities' group.

However, how this knowledge of global religions and beliefs fits in with Jewish/Islamic/Fundamental Christian (etc) free schools is a mystery to me, and these MPs who are effectively backing a broad religious education don't seem to be on the same wavelength as certain members of the cabinet.