- Neglecting RE leaves ‘gaping hole
in the school curriculum’, says Father of the House in the wake of the
Government’s commitment to level up education across the
country.
The number of students taking a Religious Studies GCSE in England
has risen by nearly a third in the last decade despite the
subject being underfunded and poorly taught in many schools
across England, a new ‘state of RE’ data analysis has revealed.
Despite the increase in students taking the subject, no
government money has been spent on the subject in the last five
years, while many academies fail to offer the high-quality RE
provision that according to Ofsted ‘affords students the
opportunity to make sense of their own place in the world’.
The comprehensive review of data, carried about by a team from
the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC), the
National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE),
and RE Today Services, comes from a variety of sources, including
an Ofsted subject report, public surveys, school workforce data,
freedom of information requests, and interviews with teachers and
students. It is the biggest ‘state of RE’ report for five years.
We’ve graded the performance of schools, government and the
subject itself in a review of five years of data.
The most significant findings are:
- A 50% increase in A-level entries for Religious Studies (RS)
since 2003, beating Geography and History
- Higher Attainment 8 scores than average in schools with
higher rates of entry for GCSE RS
- 46% of academies without a religious character have reported
an increase in time to teach RE
However:
- Almost 500 secondary schools are still reporting zero hours
of RE provision in Year 11
- Around 34% of academies are reporting no timetabled RE
Teaching RE is a legal requirement for all schools in England.
All maintained schools have a statutory duty to teach RE while
academies and free schools are contractually required through the
terms of their funding agreement to make provision for the
teaching of the subject.
NATRE Research Officer, Deborah Weston OBE, who led the data
review, said: “With record numbers of students taking the
subject, it is a great shame that RE is being neglected by the
Government, and marginalised by some schools, particularly in the
academy system. In the Queen’s Speech we saw the Government’s
commitment to “help every child fulfil their potential, wherever
they live”. The data has shown us that high-quality RE enables
precisely this, being a key marker for both academic achievement
and a vital part of young people’s development in making sense of
their own worldview as part of the diverse and pluralistic nature
of belief in the 21st century.”
“The planned changes outlined in the Queen’s Speech provide a
once in a generation opportunity to address most of the issues
highlighted in this data. However, without a properly funded
National Plan and a system of accountability for high-quality RE
under the Government’s academy vision for all schools, we risk
denying a generation of students access to this vital subject. A
high-quality education in religion and worldviews must now be
part of their plans to help every young person fulfil their
potential in school, society and the world of work.”
In March, a parliamentary roundtable met to discuss the future of
the subject, with the Father of the House, , calling for a ‘National
Plan’ for the subject.
Responding to the latest data, said: “Looking at the
performance data on this report card, too many young people are
not getting a fair deal when it comes to religious education. In
neglecting the subject, we leave a gaping hole in our school
curriculum. At its best, RE prepares young people for the
ethical, moral and religious debates that influence life in
modern Britain and the wider world."
The report card summarising the data review can be accessed here:
www.rethinkre.org/re-report-card
-ends-
Notes for editors:
Central government funding for RE projects
In the period 2016-2021, Religious Education received no central
government funding for subject specific projects. During the same
period, £387 million was allocated to Music projects, £154
million to Maths projects, £56 million to Science projects, £28.5
million to English projects, and £16 million to Languages
projects.
Religious Education Council of England and Wales
Established in 1973, the Religious Education Council of England
and Wales (REC) brings together over 60 national organisations.
These comprise academic and professional associations
specialising in religious education, as well as individual
religion and belief organisations representative of the range of
communities found nationally.
The Religious Education
Council of England and Wales
National Association of Teachers of RE
NATRE is the subject teacher association for RE professionals in
primary and secondary schools and higher education, providing a
representative voice at national level and publications and
courses to promote professional development. NATRE’s Executive
consists of a majority of serving teachers from primary and
secondary schools who are elected for a three-year term of
service.
NATRE
RE Today Services
RE Today works in the UK and internationally to give children a
broad and balanced education to support them in the world they
live in, through the teaching of high-quality RE in schools.
It supports teachers in ALL types of schools through publishing
high-quality RE publications, offering consultancy services,
curriculum development and by providing professional development
opportunities for RE professionals.
RE Today
