Fewer students taking RS A-level

Written by David Fletcher 24 Aug 2023
Fewer students taking RS A-level

The number of students choosing Religious Studies in A-level has fallen, following warnings of a lack of teachers. More than a quarter of pupils have been given either an A or A* - down by 9% compared with 2022. The fall follows a campaign to recruit a new generation of RE teachers, with the Religious Education Council warning that due to shortages in specialist teachers some schools in the Midlands and northeast are struggling to offer the A-level subject. For two decades, A-level RS has had growing numbers of entries and impressive results, opening a world of opportunity, particularly for people from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing access to top universities and careers in law, journalism and teaching. That legacy is now threatened. A teacher training bursary scheme and a fair allocation of resources to the subject would help to reverse this trend.

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