Learning about other's beliefs

My GS, now 12, had a good education about religions in primary school. Reaching secondary school, he politely informed his RE teacher that he was an atheist. He comes from an atheist/humanist family but accepted that RE in primary school helped him to make his mind up. He and his teacher reached a mutually acceptable understanding.
I would agree that RE is useful ONLY if it provides unbiased information about all the major faiths in order for children to be able to make decisions about their beliefs - or unbelief.

My daughter, a confirmed atheist from about 14 took Religious Studies at GCSE and gained an 'A' (in the days before A*s). She chose questions, such as issues around abortions, which were more ethically based.

She found the classes interesting as it taught students how to look at different sides of a debate, different issues, to respect the opinions of others and generally keep an open mind.

My son was also a confirmed atheist, but GCSE RE was compulsory. The RE lived in the same road as I did and made a point of crossing the road to speak to me one day. I feared she was going to tell me how disruptive my son was, but she actually wanted to tell me what a delight he was. Apparently, the two of them had some quite heated, but well-informed arguments about religion and ethics, etc.

A* had been introduced by the time he did GCSE, which he duly achieved along with the school prize for RE (shock horror).

This is Essex's agreed syllabus for RE:

schools-secure.essex.gov.uk/other/Essex_SACRE/Pages/Essex-SACRE.aspx

I would imagine most authorities are the same.

The Imam is probably going to talk about Muhamed's life, what a mosque looks like or Ramadan. I don't know that much about any of those topics, so I'd quite like to go. I certainly wouldn't keep my children away.

*RE teacher lived in the same road (typo)

I've never heard of RE being a compulsory GCSE subject before. Was it a faith school?

Yes it's been compulsory for a few years now. And I believe it should be... however a few textbooks weren't completely accurate...at the end of the day people believe what they want. So not everyone might agree with 100% of their own religion. Or come from a varying sect. But you get at least a generalisation.

Are you sure? I know it's compulsory to teach it up to year 11 but can't find any information that says all pupils must take GCSE in RE.

There was a choice of humanities when the DC were at school but it was impossible to take Geography, History and Comparative Religion for GCSE.
It was one or another.

RE is a compulsory subject now but there is no requirement to take a GCSE in it.