24 August 2010
This morning's GCSE results have confirmed that the number of
students taking Religious Education has increased for the twelfth
year running. With 188,704 receiving their results in the subject
today, 2010 sees a 3.5 per cent growth in candidates compared to
last year's 182,288, with 73.1 per cent of the total achieving a
grade between A* and C (compared to 73.4 per cent last year).
Religious Education has entered the top ten league table of
subjects in terms of the number of candidates, and remains in the
top five of growing subjects with more than 75,000 candidates;
above subjects like Mathematics and History.
Today's results also show that the number of students taking the
GCSE short (one year) course in Religious Education fell against
last year to 279,954 (down by 2.4 per cent from 286,941 in 2009),
although the proportion taking the course within the total number
of short course papers sat rose slightly and it remains by far the
largest subject of this type.
Nick McKemey, the Church of England's Head of School
Improvement, comments: "The relentless growth of Religious
Education as a choice for GCSE students underlines the importance
of investing adequate resources and time in its teaching. Young
people are clamoring for a deeper understanding of religious
perspectives on issues of the day and how moral and ethical
questions are considered by the major faiths.
"Twelve years of organic growth in student numbers cannot be
ignored. This is a phenomenon that indicates students' appreciation
that exploring faith and belief helps them to understand the world
and become better global citizens."
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, available
here. Short versions of these prayers will be 'tweeted' today
via Twitter to the Church of England's 6,000 followers on the
social networking tool.