from Religion Media Centre
he number of students in England and Wales taking Religious Studies at A-level has dropped by 2.7 per cent to 14,594, falling for the fifth successive year, giving rise to concern over the shortage of specialist RS teachers. Subject leaders say that despite the subject being the seventh most widely taken at GCSE, this has not translated into a corresponding rise in A-level entries and they point to a longstanding shortage of RE specialists in schools. Half of those who deliver RE lessons in England and Wales mainly teach another subject. Sarah Lane Cawte, Chair of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, said: “The ongoing decline of entries in A-level Religious Studies is a symptom of a bigger and growing problem with the lack of specialist RE teachers in our schools. A-level RE is challenging but deeply rewarding. It allows students to confront the philosophical and theological questions that underpin human existence and develops the kind of thinkers who go on to flourish in further education and work. We do a great disservice to young people by not offering them the choice to take it.” Church Times report here. Analysis by the Religious Education Council and NATRE reveals:
– In England the number of students taking the subject at A-level saw a fall of 3 per cent, from 14,268 to 13,832.
– In Wales the number of students taking A-level RS rose slightly by 3.4 per cent, from 737 to 762.
– The number of students who achieved Grade A*-C rose by 0.5 per cent in both England and Wales.
– More girls took the subject (69 per cent) than boys (31 per cent).
– Over the last five years, entries to the subject have fallen by 12 per cent from 16,645 to 14,594.