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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

GCSE Choice: Religious Studies or Geography

41 replies

chancer2014 · 03/03/2015 22:21

Dd is equally good at both though I guess Geography might have a slight edge in terms of grades. Are there any advantages in choosing one over the other? And does it really matter at this stage or should she just do what she enjoys more?

OP posts:

Leeds2 · 03/03/2015 22:24

I think she should do what she enjoys the most.

My DD did both. I would say that she found RS "easier", but enjoyed geography more.

Original poster

chancer2014 · 03/03/2015 22:36

Having looked closely at the syllabus, it seems mostly Christianity v Hinduism with respect to various contentious issues. There's a very small bit on Islam, which seems odd given its significance today

OP posts:

titchy · 04/03/2015 07:54

They choose which two religions so it's your school that has chosen Hinduism rather than Islam.

senua · 04/03/2015 08:04

Both teach you essay skills, both are respected academic subjects.
RE is more about debating and persuading. Geography has more of a research angle where you collect data and analyse it. It has field trips - always a source for fun!
Geography counts toward EBacc, RE doesn't.
Does DD know what she is doing for sixthform and after, does that throw any light on the decision?

ZingNinjaRoll · 04/03/2015 09:01

we have just helped DS1's complete his choices and "we" went with a mix what he enjoys the most & what he is better at.
he is doing EBACC so needs one humanity and one language.
he chose History over Geography because he loves it more, but went with French over Spanish because he has better results and feels he'll be more successful
(and because MIL was a French teacher for 19 years at one of the best secondaries and will help him study, which is a bonus!)

so it's a tricky one, but unless she is really passionate about RE I'd go with Geography in your DD's case OP

hth

Unexpected · 04/03/2015 10:41

Is anybody even talking about EBacc any more? It seems to have sunk without a trace in terms of being counted for anything.

fairylightsbackintheloft · 04/03/2015 14:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MillyMollyMama · 04/03/2015 18:27

If DD is doing History, then do RE. Otherwise, do what she enjoys and will get the best result in. Some Geography syllabuses don't have much essay writing. The EBacc is included in the Government's GCSE statistics for secondary schools, so it has not totally sunk. Take a look. Also, it was not a bad thing but should have included RE as a humanity. Getting young people to have a broad range of GCSEs is still a good thing.

ChocolateWombat · 04/03/2015 18:45

Although it's a while off, History and Geography are facilitating subjects at A Level, for university applications, but RS isn't. Candidates wanting to apply for top universitities are advised to have at least 2 facilitating subjects at A Level to allow them the broadest choice of courses at top universitities.

I realise this is a GCSE choice, but someone without the GCSE is unlikely to take that subject at A Level. It might just be worth considering and is especially relevant if your child might want to do a humanities based degree.

Personally I'd go for History over the other 2 as more academic and highly regarded generally, by universities and the workplace. If you look at the Russell Groups 'informed choices' which is about A Level options, you will see that History is mentioned much more under 'subjects especially useful for....' each degree subject......keeps more options open. Of course don't choose History if the child hates it or isn't good at it. Always worth being aware of some of the possible longer term implications of choices though.

lljkk · 04/03/2015 19:00

Only a small minority of kids go on to RG Unis. But hey ho, only make choices on basis of what might suit the minority not where your heart lies.

ChocolateWombat · 04/03/2015 20:52

I did say it was just something to consider IF the child was interested in a humanities based degree, that it was a POSSIBLE consideration, and not to consider it IF the child disliked the subject or was no good at it - I was not saying at any point that it was what everyone should do.

It is true that only a minority go to RG universities. Every year it is reported that more could have gone if they had received good advice about subjects studied at A Levels and not chosen subjects which limited their choices. Whilst most won't go to RG universities and therefore whether their GCSE and indeed A Level is what could be called a facilitating subject or not, those who might have the ability to get to one of those universities need to know the possible implications of early choices. IF the child in question has that level of ability (and we don't know....they may well have) then the issues I raised are relevant.

Mostlyjustaluker · 04/03/2015 21:14

Ebac will be soon replaced by progress 8 soon but either way they are assessments of the school not the child.

lljkk · 04/03/2015 21:25

I didn't know there were lots of places left at RG Unis just waiting to be filled. I guess that explains why some of the funding shortages.

roguedad · 05/03/2015 21:30

In our house this debate would take a rather different form and be over quite quickly. On the one hand you have the science of the planet, and on the other, other people's mumbo-jumbo. It's really not so hard is it? I could not give a damn about the Ebacc, but for us RS is high on the list of non-subjects along with most everything else ending in "Studies", "Education" or -ology (save biology).

2lol2lol · 05/03/2015 21:34

That's a long list of prejudices. Guess you'd rather not see a qualified cancer specialist .

titchy · 05/03/2015 21:35

Yeah roguedad who needs an awareness of others? Who needs to be able to debate with others? Who needs ethics? Load of rubbish....

titchy · 05/03/2015 21:36

What a great link 2lol!

Callooh · 05/03/2015 21:59

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Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

summerends · 05/03/2015 22:00

ChocolateWombat I thought that RE was a well regarded facilitating A level. It certainly is on the Trinity Cambridge list that seems to be a favourite link when these debates come up. My DCs have never studied it formally but it does seem a very good subject when well taught as it opens up debates and horizons.

SanityClause · 05/03/2015 22:10

Geography is a social science, roguedad. A bit like umm, sociology and psychology.

A lot of physical geography is concerned with geology.

SanityClause · 05/03/2015 22:11

Oh, and ecology.

Datahub · 05/03/2015 22:13

whichever she likes and has the best teachers

arguing the importance of either is ridiculous

Datahub · 05/03/2015 22:14

oh ffs with Russell Group shit

st Andrews/Bath arent a rG uni - is that because they are shit?

ZingNinjaRoll · 05/03/2015 22:32

great link. but I don't see "study of flags" anywhere. Sheldon will be most disappointed!

Quokka12 · 05/03/2015 22:38

I did rs both at GCSE and alevel it didn't count against me when I got into Oxford or when I got a first - it can be a fascinating subject including philosophy, history and languages (you need a decent grounding in Greek and Hebrew to take it further) go on what she likes and is engaged in.

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