Govt urged not to abandon £10k bursary for RE teacher training

The Government has been urged to reverse its decision to cancel the bursary for Religious Education (RE) teachers.

Since 2024-25, the Department for Education has offered a £10,000 Initial Teacher Training bursary to encourage more teachers to take up the subject. Despite the fact that applications have increased by 40 per cent, and recruitment has only reached 54 per cent of the Government’s target, the bursary will be scrapped from next September.

Last year, the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE) highlighted that 51 per cent of those teaching RE mainly teach another subject, and the number of specialist RE teachers had remained stagnant since 2011.

‘Generational crisis’

Deborah Weston OBE, Chair of the RE Policy Unit, warned: “This is a devastating decision that will seriously threaten the provision of high quality religious education at a time when schools need it most.

“Some subjects, such as English, have had the bursary removed after being oversubscribed. This is not the case with RE which is facing a generational recruitment crisis. Last year’s bursary saw progress made on reversing the long term crisis of specialism in our schools, with teacher applications rising by 40%. Put simply, for a shortage subject like RE, bursaries work.”

The Christian Institute’s Head of Education John Denning said: “This is one of the only spaces where students can critically evaluate ethics and morals that will impact their everyday lives and consider religious claims, including Christian beliefs, for themselves.”

In response to criticism, the Department of Education stated: “The Department reviews and usually alters bursaries every year. The amount of money we provide correlates with our teacher recruitment and retention pipeline. As there were an additional 2,300 teachers in schools this year compared to last year, the incentives package reflects that.”

Neglect

Last year, a NATRE report revealed that almost one in six schools in England are breaking the law by failing to teach Religious Education to Year 11 students.

In England, schools are required to teach RE to all students up to the age of 18. But many schools admitted to only teaching the subject to those who select it as a GCSE option.

Joanne Harris, secondary vice-chair of NATRE, explained that “funding would make a massive difference” amid the RE recruitment crisis.

She added: “RE is very useful. In the world today we want people who think critically, ask questions, and understand that the world is complicated.”