Behind the RE Teacher Recruitment Crisis

Beyond the headlines about teachers’ strikes, there is a serious crisis brewing around recruitment of teachers through the initial teacher training (ITT) scheme. Despite the DfE’s targets for ITT trainees, numbers have fallen short According to UCAS data, the 2021/22 academic year had a 36% shortfall of the target of 32,600 trainees, a 10% increase from the previous year. Despite the offer of a starting salary of £30,000, it is unlikely to boost ITT applications for the upcoming September intake.

The shortage of trainee teachers is particularly affecting Religious Education (RE). Research by NATRE (2022) shows that nearly all Higher Education Institutions offering RE ITT courses have experienced a decline in trainee numbers, with some courses facing an 83% drop and others facing closure. This creates a patchy availability of RE teacher training, with areas like the West Midlands and North East being most affected. The Department for Education (DfE) has been aware of this problem for some time. Research by the RE Policy Unit (2022) found that it missed its target for recruiting RE teachers in nine out of the last ten years, even with lowered targets. Other subjects facing similar shortage issues have been offered consistent or reinstated bursaries that have been successful in attracting applicants. Geography, for instance, show signs of bucking the trend, with trainees eligible for a £25,000 bursary for the 2023/24 PGCE course.

The removal of the 2021/22 bursary for ITT religious education (RE) teachers has clearly had an impact on recruitment. Given this year’s data, it’s now clearly needed as a part of a broader strategy to reverse the decline. The Government has said it prioritises ‘investing in raising the standard of the workforce: to ensure all children in all schools are taught by well trained and qualified teachers’. RE is a subject where action on this commitment is much needed. The problem of using non-specialist teachers in RE occurs three times more frequently than in subjects like History. NATRE’s 2019 survey found that over half of RE teachers (53.6%) lack post-A level qualifications in the subject. For years, Ofsted has recognized this as a major problem. In its 2021 research review they warned that poor quality RE provision can imbed misconceptions about religious and non-religious worldviews. Other bodies, such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Education have also expressed concerns around the impact of poor quality RE provision on young people and society. A recent Westminster Hall Debate saw members from across the house warn that poor quality RE provision threatened deeper thinking about life’s big questions, poor representation of faith communities, and a failure to prepare young people for life in global Britain.

The use of non-specialist teachers in religious education (RE) is a concern not only in the classroom, but also among parents and communities represented in RE lessons. According to a survey conducted by Culham St Gabriel’s Trust (2021), seven in ten of parents considered what their children learn in RE as important, with a similar majority stating that these lessons are their child’s main source of information about different religions and worldviews. It is therefore crucial to ensure that the teaching of RE in classrooms throughout the UK is accurate, relevant, and up to date.

The best way to achieve this is through well-funded RE ITT programs, supported by the Government. Teachers with subject specialisation understand the importance of promoting cooperation and presenting a diverse and accurate representation of religious and non-religious beliefs through drawing on sound scholarship and a range of voices. They are a vital part of our communities and the education of young people across Britain.

These are some of the suggestions of what we can all do to help stem the RE recruitment issue:

• Write to your MP or visit them in a local surgery and raise their attention to the critical problems faced by RE, such as the decline of trainee teachers and the absence of an RE ITT bursary.
• Share information about these issues on social media to create awareness among parents, pupils, headteachers, faith communities, etc.
• Promote this article by posting its headlines on your website to reach a wider audience and encourage action.
• Discuss the issue with headteachers, senior leadership teams, etc. to raise their understanding of the importance of RE and the challenges facing the subject.
• Keep your local SACRE informed, for example, by attending meetings, emailing the chair, or requesting an agenda item, to ensure that the key decision-makers in RE are informed about the situation.
• If you are a member of a faith, spiritual, or secular group, engage with governing bodies and leaders to ensure they understand the potential impact on the community’s understanding and representation.

References:

Culham St Gabriel’s Trust (2022) Religion & Worldviews Parent Survey 2022: https://www.cstg.org.uk/activities/campaigns/parent-survey/

DfE (2019) from a NATRE Fol request to the DfE in 2019

DfE (2022) Package to transform education and opportunities for most disadvantaged: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/package-to-transform-education-and-opportunities-for-most-disadvantaged

DfE (2022) Statistics: school workforce: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-workforce

Insight UK (2021) A report on the state of Hinduism in Religious Education in UK schools: https://insightuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hinduism-in-RE_Project-report.pdf

NATRE (2022) REPU Report to RE Council Autumn 2022

Ofsted (2013) Religious education: realising the potential

UCAS (2022) 2022 Cycle Applicant Figures: https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-releases/applicant-releases-2022-cycle/2022-cycle-applicant-figures-30-june-deadline