Demand for Religious Education and interfaith understanding in schools risks being undermined by lack of specialists, says sector

Analysis finds no significant change in specialist workforce for a decade as a quarter of a million students take GCSE RS

The number of students taking Religious Studies full course at GCSE in England and Wales now stands at 227,152, prompting warnings from the sector that the specialist RE teacher workforce needs to expand in order to meet the growing demand for high-quality religious education in schools. 

Entries to RS GCSE in England rose slightly by 0.5% to 218,602. In Wales the number of students taking the subject also fell by 6.1% to 8,550. GCSE RS is now the 7th most widely taken subject out of the 58 offered at GCSE in England and the 9th in Wales.

The number of students who achieved Grade 9-4/A*-C in GCSE full course in England rose by 0.5% to 73.7% and in Wales by 2% to 69.8%. Slightly more girls took the subject than boys at 54% and 46% in England and 58% and 42% in Wales.

A 2024 Ofsted subject review for religious education raised concern about the quality of teaching in many schools, also pointing out that a number were not following their legal obligation to teach the subject up to Key Stage 4.

Responding to Ofsted’s findings, the recent Francis Review recommended that Religious Education be placed in the National Curriculum for the first time in order to “prevent further diminishment”. 

Following the Secretary of State for Education’s recognition of a sector consensus among representatives of religious and non-religious organisations, the Programme of Study for the new National Curriculum will go to a public consultation later this year. 

However, the Religious Education Council of England & Wales (REC) and the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE) have now warned that the subject is facing a recruitment deficit that will undermine efforts to improve provision across the country. 

In the last decade, the number of teachers in England with a relevant post A-level qualification has only grown by 120, meaning the current workforce of 6,407 specialist RE teachers is at a similar level to 2014/15.

Analysis by the Religious Education Policy Unit has also found that half of those who deliver RE lessons in England and Wales mainly teach another subject. RE’s specialist allocation has fallen for both teachers and hours, and the 2025/26 headcount share is the lowest in 16 years. 

Sarah Lane Cawte, Chair of the REC, said: 

“I have never seen such a demand from school leaders for religious education. The message we’re getting is clear: schools want a subject that builds mutual understanding between different religious and non-religious backgrounds and an academic approach to life’s big questions. 

“An historic consensus of organisations from religious and non-religious traditions has just agreed that placing the subject in the National Curriculum is the best way to ensure more students get access to this high-quality RE.

“However, the current state of the workforce provides a reality check. The number of RE teachers hasn’t grown meaningfully for a decade, which means the ratio of specialist teachers to students is worsening. The outcome, as Ofsted recently found, is tokenistic and poorly taught religious education. Restoring the training bursary and the subject knowledge enhancement grant is the only meaningful way to address the issue.” 

Katie Freeman, Chair of NATRE, said: 

“Teaching RE is intellectually rigorous and demanding. Practitioners lead young people in discussions around life’s big questions and require a working knowledge that covers the depth and breadth of the different religious and non-religious traditions found in Britain and across the world. 

“The decision to cut the recent training bursary after just two years was a mistake. Its introduction had led to a 60% uptick in applications and was starting to reverse the decade long drift in recruitment. Looking into the future, we need to grow the workforce urgently by restoring the bursary if we want to deliver high-quality RE for every child in every school.”

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For media enquiries and RE teaching images please contact:

Colin Hallmark / Fred Sculthorp

3:nine Communications:

[email protected]

Tel: 07745 914170

Mubina Khan-Daniels
National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE):
[email protected]
Tel: 0121 415 3970 / 0121 4583313

Notes for editors:

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 Religious Education (NATRE)

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