Tell me about Citizenship GCSE. Which is apparently compulsory at my DD's school. She doesn't want to do it.

[bellinisurge]

As it says in the subject, Citizenship GCSE has now been deemed compulsory at my DD's school. She would prefer to do Triple Science but doesn't want to lose a free space in her GSCE options to do it. She deliberately didn't go to a faith school (despite being in a feeder primary) to avoid having RE GCSE forced on her.
Any suggestions?

Though I did think ‘drive-by gobshite’ was a brilliant insult and one I shall definitely be using in future.

OP, in the nicest possible way you're going a bit OTT here. Lots of us have offered helpful suggestions and advice and you've pretty much ignored all of those posts.

Yes, the first poster was rude, and the poster who said she was a respected poster was a bum licker, but honestly just ignore any rude posts and focus on all the advice and nice replies you've had.

@clary , that's not really an answer is it. They fit 9 subjects in the timetable. I worked that out fur myself, thanks. What I wanted to know was how they allocate enough hours to 9 other subjects.

The "bum licker " continued and continues to post and apparently I am not being sufficiently deferential to them

@bellinisurge

The "bum licker " continued and continues to post and apparently I am not being sufficiently deferential to them

One poster had a useful answer which I thanked them for.

TBH I think several posters have given you helpful answers, and not been rude about ir.

I know these aren't normal times, but I'm surprised that you have no idea whether the school offers English Language and English Literature. Surely this would be in the information you receive from the school.

We had a booklet explaining the options when DD had to choose hers. I would have thought you would have either been sent such a booklet or the information will be available online or in an email from school.

What I wanted to know was how they allocate enough hours to 9 other subjects.

This is a how long is a piece of string question. Every school will have a different answer. As you were told many times above.

I understand your frustration. My daughter does RS as a compulsory subject (not a faith school). This was introduced in year 9. They get little enough flexibility to choose options, without having an extra space taken up.
They are also cramming the three separate sciences into the timetabling for two subjects. This has proved to be an incredibly tough workload, made even worse during the pandemic. I don't think they will finish the syllabus in any of the three sciences. It has also put my daughter off any science a levels! (She was keen in year 7/8).

@Candleabra , it's a tricky one isn't it. And off putting

Candleabra I think you need to prepare yourself for them deciding to drop the triple scientists to double (if currently not y11). Doing fast paced triple was a tall order under the old GCSEs, doing it under the reformed GCSEs is a big ask even without a pandemic.

[quote bellinisurge]@clary , that's not really an answer is it. They fit 9 subjects in the timetable. I worked that out fur myself, thanks. What I wanted to know was how they allocate enough hours to 9 other subjects.
[/quote]
Well as I suggested in my pp, it will vary.

• Schools allocate different amounts of time to English and maths.
• Some schools teach triple science to the most able students in the same number of lessons as double.
• Some schools have a day that runs from 8.30-3.30 with a 30 min lunch; others will have a shorter day, so maybe fewer lessons.
• Some schools will do 5 hours a fortnight for option subjects, others 6 hours.
• Some schools have one hour lessons, others 50-minute ones.

To take an example:
School day is 8.30-3.30, 50 mins of breaks, 10 mins of tutor time. That leaves 6 hours of lessons. That's 60 hours a fortnight. Say maths and English and science (5 or 6 GCSEs) each get 10 lessons a fortnight; core PE and RE/Citizenship is two lessons a fortnight; that leaves 26 lessons, which is enough for 6 a fortnight for each of the four remaining GCSEs, with two spare for assembly or another PE slot.

I have predicated quite a long and break-light school day there. If the day were shorter or the breaks longer, options might have to be done in five lessons a fortnight, (my personal experience as a teacher) - which is fine btw.

Okay..I read 25% of the replies and then just the OP's posts, so apologies if this had been said already.

Have you asked the school how much lesson time this subject will take? I think it's highly likely that it will be far less than the other subjects. The school has to teach it, so will give it minimal time and might figure that they might as well put students in for the exam.

I'd find out before you both start stressing about it and your DD tasks about moving schools. This could be a total non issue.

Thanks @saraclara , this thread was supposed to be me making some enquiries about it, seeing how other people's situations go and applying any conclusions to my situation.
Until the [fill in your own words] turned up with their "suck it up" and "that's life ".
🤷‍♀️

@bellinisurge It is. I objected to the changing goal posts with the addition of compulsory RS just before options (though in fairness, the introduction of the new GCSEs were imposed on the school of course). This took away the block to do the third science properly. I think a lot of schools use an option slot to teach the triple science, for some reason the school didn't offer that.

@TeenPlusTwenties

Candleabra I think you need to prepare yourself for them deciding to drop the triple scientists to double (if currently not y11). Doing fast paced triple was a tall order under the old GCSEs, doing it under the reformed GCSEs is a big ask even without a pandemic.

I hope so, but I've been waiting for them to make that (very sensible!) decision since September. It makes perfect sense to me. I can't believe they are ploughing on with the triple.

We have 25 hours a week of lessons and 2.5 hours a week for options. 4 for maths and English, 5 for science. Plus 2 for PE and 2 for citizenship.
Shows how different schools are.

Thank you @HercwasanEnemyofEducation , that's a helpful comparison

Candle They will have some parents very against dropping to double. perhaps they will see where they are at end of year, and then if there is more than 1 set then allow the best performing to continue and the others to drop down? If they have any sense they will have only been doing content also in double leaving the extra triple stuff until the end.

@TeenPlusTwenties

Candle They will have some parents very against dropping to double. perhaps they will see where they are at end of year, and then if there is more than 1 set then allow the best performing to continue and the others to drop down? If they have any sense they will have only been doing content also in double leaving the extra triple stuff until the end.

Oh sorry, I've just read your other message properly. She's year 11 so I guess too late now? I still think they should have made the call in September though. And yes, anecdotally, I believe some parents were very pushy about the triple. It also enables the kids to get 10 GCSEs rather than 9..... But surely it's better to get two good grades in double science than three poor ones in triple.

Oh year 11? Who knows then. They may well be banking on being able to say 'performing at' even if they haven't done the whole syllabus. Mine is y11 too ...

OP you seem to have a issue with people saying just get on with it, you are particularly sensitive to this line of commentary.

Oh by the way, I don't need to apologise or admit anything - one wonders where in my response you understood that from and if you take that approach to other things, I can see how you can get frustrated with life when reality doesn't match your expectations.

DD had 5 hours a fortnight for most subjects. I can't remember how many hours she had for maths and English though. Her timetable was always over a two week period which took some getting used to. We couldn't have the "It's Thursday don't forget your PE kit" conversation because some weeks it was on Thursday and some weeks on Monday.

TBH I wasn't happy with Citizenship, but as it was presented as a compulsory subject along with maths/English/science subjects we both had to accept it. I questioned it but it was a waste of time. I was told that as it had to be part of the curriculum they might was well get a GCSE out of it, as do many schools that others have posted about on here.

That's a helpful observation @Ginfordinner

@Coronateachingagain , I wasn't asking you for an apology. Move on, eh