The number of students studying Religious Education at A Level is declining, prompting calls from education leaders to better fund the subject.
In England, the number of students taking the subject was 14,499, a fall of 1.3%. In Wales, there was a 6.1% decline, with the total number dropping to 702.
A Level RS had previously been a success story, reaching a peak of 21,577 entries in 2015, an increase of 10,000 since 2003.
However, recent years have seen a steady decline in entries. One explanation for the falling numbers could be the lack of specialist teachers.
For 51% of those teaching Religious Studies, it is not their primary subject. Some teachers may not have even studied it to A Level themselves.
Joanne Harris, secondary vice-chair of National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE) told Premier Christian Radio: “We have a recruitment crisis in RS… funding would make a massive difference.
“If RS isn’t a teacher’s main subject, it won’t be their main focus – it’ll be the last thing on their timetable that they’ll think about. That leads to a drop in pupil confidence.”
A level decline is not unique to theological studies but humanities subjects as a whole. History was taken by 2.3% fewer students than last year’s cohort, and Sociology by 6.5%. Compared to fellow humanities subjects, Religious Studies experienced one of the smallest drops.
Harris believes this is due to a wider narrative that Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects are the ‘only’ career option: “We’re battling stereotypes. If schools talked positively about the value of all subjects, it would make a massive difference.
“Not everyone wants to be pushed down a STEM route. People want diverse options. Bringing back diversity [of A Level subjects] would get young people thinking deeply about issues that interest them.”
Hope is on the horizon for Religious Studies. Following the General Election in July, the teacher training bursary for Religious Education was restored for the academic year 2024/25, after the Department for Education had missed its recruitment target for nine of the last ten years.
Sarah Lane Cawte, Chair of the Religious Education Council, said: “Religious Studies continues to be a popular A level, grounding students in an academic and personally enriching exploration of life’s biggest questions. The subject has helped students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, go onto university and into careers such as law, journalism and teaching.
“However, students are losing out, with an ongoing lack of specialist recruitment leaving too many schools unable to offer it at A-level. A national plan would provide the funding, recruitment and resources to help the subject once again thrive at its most advanced level in all our schools, preparing students for further academic study, employment and active engagement in our society.”
Religious Education is a valuable subject to all pupils, regardless of their personal faith. Joanne Harris told Premier: “Some pupils think: ‘I don’t want to be a vicar, I don’t want to be a nun!’
“But RE is very useful. In the world today we want people who think critically, ask questions, and understand that the world is complicated. It’s about humans, deep thinking and working with people."