Is RE compulsory at gcse level?

[fairyfuckwings]

The reason I ask is that my twins are just choosing their options for gsce now and I find it a bit disappointing really that they've had to drop subjects they love as they only have limited choices. At their school RE is compulsory. Every parent I've spoken to has felt that RE is a bit of a waste of of lesson. The choices my kids got were 2 of the following: art, geography, history, extra ict, drama, science (to make it triple) and business studies.

As an atheist I feel that the last 10 years the children have spent learning about the various fantasies people choose to participate in is enough. Personally, I think history is a far more relevant subject. Well anything other than Re really. My kids have no interest in this subject. I have no interest in it. And judging the lack of interest in the Re desk at the recent parents evening it would seem that none of the other parents give a toss either.

Is this a national thing? Or is it just my children's school?

Lordpalmerston - of course I don't know what I'm talking about! Hence the thread in the first place!

Unfortunately, I wasn't born with the knowledge of the ins and outs of the current national curriculum. I'm an accountant, not a teacher so compulsory national curriculum subjects hasn't come up before now, which is why I'm only now starting to ask questions.

I'm not saying that RE is completely pointless - I'm just questioning the fact that it has clearly been given more importance than, for example, history. Personally, i think history is far more relevant. And a "better" gsce.

Juggling - yes I thought the same about them picking up art as a hobby outside school. I thought, out of all the subjects, art is probably one of the easier ones to find a class on an evening.

I agree totally with the OP, that 10 years of learning fairy tails is quite enough.

DD1 has fetched up doing full GCSE RE (examining board pulled short course under their feet).

The moral and ethical discussions are great, but the almost totally Christian centric exam answers they are expected to produce are formulaic and pointless.

Personally I'd get DS to drop IT if he really loves Art.

Although IT is undoubtably less work - we are upto our eyeballs in 10hr art exam and the accompanying sketch book at the moment.

Hang on, I thought GCSE RE was compulsory only in religious schools?

It is not a legal requirement that children take a GCSE in RE.

It is the school that makes it compulsory and so narrows your children's choices. They may do it because it helps the 5 GCSEs figures.

Pottering - thanks for the link but I'm talking about gsces specifically. Not a levels. The chance of my two studying re at a level is zero as they hate the subject and find it very dull.

It is a legal requirement that all state schools have an act of collective worship and teach Religious Education. I'd be surprised if that is not a requirement in Scotland as well as in England as this goes right back to the start of state-funded education, as far as I'm aware. In England there has been a National Curriculum for less than 25 years and prior to that the one and only subject that schools had to teach was RE. When the NC came in, RE was not included in it because it was already compulsory through the existing legislation. (That's what I vaguely remember, anyway.)

However, it's always been possible for parents to tell schools that they are withdrawing their children from either the assemblies or the RE lessons or both. So it is not really possible for them to insist that your child does RE GCSE, surely? However, if you withdraw your child, you won't find the school laying on another subject for them to do instead.

Honestly I'd look really carefully at the IT syllabus, many are nothing more than using software packages and really a waste of time for academic DCs.

But a copy of office and get him to play. Down load scratch and or buy a raspberry Pi. He'll learn far more.

Thank you nocoment. Unfortunately, I can't get either of them to drop the extra ict as they both really love it and it's their choice which options they choose. Mores the pity!

I'll probably look at some kind of weekend class for art. I'd quite enjoy doing it with them to be honest. I just think it's a shame that out of so many gsces they only get to pick 2.

I wouldn't want to be a geography/history or art teacher right now. I guess there's not going to be much demandfor these subhects.

Sorry to ask a probably obvious question but, DD1 (yr8) has a subject 'Philosophy, ethics & religion'. Is this the same as RE?
She's not here to ask at the moment but I'm pretty sure she doesn't do 'R.E'
If PER is the same as RE, I had a really interesting chat with her PER tutor at parents evening who explained to me that for DD1 to take PER as an option would really benefit any future UCAS application because it helps them develop ideas and debate, and they learn to project a balanced argument which is seen favorably by uni's.

They are currently putting together a debate based on genetic engineering, comparing the scientific benefits to the ethical objections.

Am very confused!

I didn't know ict was considered a bit rubbish. I'll certainly have a look a the syllabus. My son's already much better than I am - he does a lot of scripting and programming. I wouldn't have thought he'd need lessons on how to use software so I may see if he wants to change his mind on that one.

Drivin, I'm sorry to be cynical but the PER tutor would say that, wouldn't he/she? I'm sure there is something to be said for RE as an exam subject, especially if it's the kind of syllabus that puts a lot of stress on ethics and philosophy rather than just 'learn these facts about world religions' but there are plenty of other subjects that are just as good, frankly.

My understanding is that it's compulsory to do RE lessons in Y10 and Y11, but you don't have to take it as a GCSE option.

At DD's school there is a separate group for those doing it as an actual GCSE.

I'm not sure if Per is the same. It's just called re at my children's school. They're also in year 8. I'm also very confused! I thought ict was considered a good gsce fora start, but it seems it nay not be the case!

At my DS1's private school it wasn't compulsory. He gave it up at the end of Year 9. That doesn't really help you OP, but someone asked upthread about independent schools.

Just as I suspected then AllMimsyWereTheBorogroves !

I am another parent baffled by lack of choices with options.

As I said DD1 is yr8 & doesn't take them for another year, but already parents evenings are a real marketing opportunity for subject tutors to sell their wares.

It seems to me that DD has very little choices because she is very able. She will be taking triple science so her 'options' are further reduced.
Originally she intended to take 2 MFL's but has been told this is not possible with triple science.

Also she's already been told she will only have timetable space for one humanities subject, will not be able to take Art and will have real difficulty taking P.E because it clashes with triple science.

(All the while being encouraged to take a 'soft' subject for balance)

The system may work well for kids who are really clear on their future ambitions but DD is a very good all rounder who doesn't want to limit her A level choices by chosing the wrong options next year.

Hard to find truly unbiased advice

I believe things are changing with IT syllabuses. It was the case for a long time that GCSE pupils didn't learn about programming unless they were doing Computer Studies. IT was more about learning applications, e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint. I think the government is trying to change that so that more school pupils learn something about programming. Don't know how far that's got yet.

lack of options is country wide, all to do with Gove and his new way of measuring schools -

and there is MORE DEMAND than ever for history and trad subjecst as a result of it

creative subjects are screwed

No at our school there isn't! Seriously don't know anyone choosing geography or history. There just isn't the space on their timetable. When you've only got 2 choices and you're encouraged to choose a soft option, that only leaves one choice. For many kids that's likely to be triple science.

I really wouldn't worry about not being able to do Art GCSE - if you love it it's somethig that can easily be done out of school. It's also very cousework and time intensive and some people have said it totally sucks the life out of wanting to do art as there is just so much cw

triple science is a given
then record nos doing history.
Your teachers must be crappy

PLus your school cant be aware of this www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24521957 at all if they still offer " soft " subjects

Lordpalmerston - stop being a goady twat. The teachers are not "crappy" at all. I genuinely have no idea why you get that idea.