GCSE religious studies

[Moonsun]

My daughters school offers GCSE religious studies, as a newbie what I understand from the options booklet is that Christianity and Hinduism is taught

As we follow a siffiermet faith and my daughter goes to Sunday school where they have essentially covered GCSE level for our faith can I ask the teacher if she could do our faith and one other religion?

Is that appropriate ?
Is that possible?

It would make life easier with one less thing to study for her in the burgeoning GCSE syllabus

[ToadMum]

My daughters school offers GCSE religious studies, as a newbie what I understand from the options booklet is that Christianity and Hinduism is taught

As we follow a siffiermet faith and my daughter goes to Sunday school where they have essentially covered GCSE level for our faith can I ask the teacher if she could do our faith and one other religion?

Is that appropriate ?
Is that possible?

It would make life easier with one less thing to study for her in the burgeoning GCSE syllabus

Tbh, I would think it unlikely that the school would change the syllabus they teach on the basis of one student's prior learning. Whether it were to be, not including a particular religion because someone spent hours of their free time studying one of the elements of the syllabus, or studying a different religion from the course already planned, so that one student wouldn't have to do as much work as the other hundred and however many students in the year.

I may be completely wrong, though, so why not ask anyway? The worst they can only say is no .

Although when you say, 'offers GCSE religious studies', do you mean that it is an option, not a required subject? If that is the case, I think I can guess what the school's response might be...

[Moonsun]

It is one of the optional subjects--that's what I meant by offered

[Daogroupie]

If it is optional then you do not need to do it.

If you are not happy with the subject you can choose something else.

The school has chosen the elements of the syllabus they are going to study and the students in the year who choose it will be reading the subject matter and choosing it accordingly.

The teacher will have studied and prepared student materials on the content that is taught.

History and Geography and literature teachers also choose the content they are going to teach.

There are books and history periods that I think my dds would have enjoyed more but the schools choose what aspects of the syllabuses to teach and if they do not suit you then you need to look for another subject.

What other subjects is she interested in? DG

[Moonsun]

Ok thanks
She doesn't enjoy DT and history
So far we have decided on business studies, food and nutrition and need one more, I guess it will have to be geography

[kenyancowgirl]

I hope the "we have decided" is just a figure of speech - whilst you should certainly be involved in the decision making, it should be her choices bearing in mind any of her future career options. Geography, History and RE are all fairly well respected GCSE subjects with robust research/essay writing/referencing skills.

[Moonsun]

The royal we -- is actually her with me just helpfully saying yes and in her language whatever !!

[KB]

Having studied any faith she may find she has skills which are helpful in the RS GCSE course.

She may also benefit more generally from being able to compare other religions to your own.

From our experience the GCSE curriculum does not necessarily present a religion in the way some believers see it so prior knowledge may be less helpful than you might imagine.

DC's class studied one module ( Christianity) as a group then they were allowed to choose the 2nd and self study with support. Thus was under 'old' system though and at selective school.

[ToadMum]

From our experience the GCSE curriculum does not necessarily present a religion in the way some believers see it so prior knowledge may be less helpful than you might imagine.

The difference between 'religious study' and 'the academic study of (a) religion'.

[mad?]

From our experience the GCSE curriculum does not necessarily present a religion in the way some believers see it so prior knowledge may be less helpful than you might imagine.

The difference between 'religious study' and 'the academic study of (a) religion'.

Agree with both of these statements. Also, DD2 found it really interesting despite having no religious background. Her BF, who actively practised another faith not studied as part of the GCSE, absolutely loved it. She found it fascinating to learn how many confluences and similarities there were with her religion (trust me, it would not be obvious to an outsider, nor day I say to keen followers of either faith) and her contribution in explaining the perspective of her faith on particular issues was an added bonus in class discussions.
Either way, I would advise against DC choosing to do a GCSE because they already know part of it, at best it will be boring and at worst it could be a hindrance. Good luck OP.