(07 Dec 2014, 9:57 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote I'll be starting my GCSEs next year, and yet to pick my options. I need one language (Park View is a languages college) and a humanity before 2 of my own choice.
As aureolin said, a lot of schools get 25 hours a week and mine is one of them. Next year, I'll get 4 hours of English, 4 hours of Maths, 6 hours of Science (kill me now!), 1 hour of R.E. and 2 hours of P.E., all mandatory! We get 4 options, and get 2 hours of week, and that adds up the total teaching hours.
Personally, I think we should get to pick 1 more, and get 2 hours less of Science. However, some will argue because we get all 3 sciences and need 2 hours of each.
Just my opinion, but extended hours would just lower 'moral' for everyone. If my year group got pulled into assembly and told next year as a new scheme we would be given extended schooldays.....there would be an uprising, and all the teachers would be shot in the yard! Just telling the truth, lol.
See, this is what gets me. Why force people through RE, a foreign language, and a humanity during KS4? If the kids aren't interested in doing it, the lesson won't be productive. The school's stats usually show that too. When I was at a community school (like Park View), I was forced to do RE & mixed humanities during Yr7-9, and then French during Yr7-11. RE was very centred around the Church of England, and in three years, never really covered any other religion. Humanities was OK, but the kids weren't interested, so the lessons were quite disruptive. Same with French.
I understand the need for PE, but we used to get 4 hours per week. Forces exercise upon people, which is important. Our PE lessons in Yr10-11 used to just involve two hours of football twice a week though.