The Church of England logoFaithWorshipLife eventsAbout the Church
Information Contact us
Media Centre Home
Media

Student numbers grow for sixth year running in Religious Studies A-Level

20 August 2009

Church highlights ‘inconvenient fact’ that matters of faith interest young people

 

Today’s publication of A-level results marks the sixth year in a row that the number of students taking Religious Studies A-level has risen, with an increase of 4.7 per cent over 2008.

Church educationalists point to the subject’s popularity as a vivid sign that young people are interested in exploring religious and spiritual perspectives of the world, and in studying the moral and cultural frameworks people share across diverse globalised societies.

Up to 21,079 students in the UK will today find out their results for Religious Studies A-Level (compared to 20,134 in 2008), and 80.1 per cent of them will be celebrating achieving a A-C grade (against 80.4 per cent in 2008). The number taking AS Levels also increased.

Jane Brooke, the Church of England’s RE Development Consultant, comments: “Sixth-form level interest in Religious Studies is genuinely at an all-time high, with this year seeing the highest ever number of students taking the course at A and AS Level. This success is down to students, to quality teaching and to the support of headteachers and senior leaders within schools.

“Sadly, much of the success of RS is overshadowed on the national stage by subjects seemingly deemed more important. Young people are saying that matters of faith really are worth studying as a way of helping them form their own viewpoints. The popularity of RS is an inconvenient fact for those who seek to portray the world in purely secular terms.

“Religious Studies’ growing popularity is a secret that needs to be shared, to increase the quality of resources available to those exploring the major religious traditions, and to make teaching RS a more attractive option to the best graduates.”

The Church of England has posted a selection of prayers on its website for those receiving exam results this summer and considering their future options. These prayers are also available by podcast, thanks to young people in Dalston, East London.