A coalition of leading educational funders and supporters has issued an open letter to the Department for Education, expressing grave concern over the lack of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) bursaries and Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) funding for Religious Education (RE) in England. The letter, signed by prominent figures in the third sector urges the government to address this inequity and support aspiring RE teachers.
The letter highlights RE’s vital role in promoting understanding, respect, and social cohesion in modern Britain. The subject equips young people with critical thinking skills and the ability to engage with the diversity of religion and belief in the world. Currently, RE trainees are excluded from ITE bursaries and SKE funding, creating barriers for talented graduates and leading to a shortage of qualified RE teachers. Over half of RE teachers lack a qualification in the subject. The absence of financial support has resulted in fewer applications to train as RE teachers, with the subject missing its recruitment target in thirteen of the last fourteen years. This undermines the quality and status of RE in schools. The letter shares testimonies from RE PGCE students, highlighting how bursaries have been crucial for covering childcare, travel, and living costs, and enabling them to pursue teaching careers.
A comment from Dr Kathryn Wright, Chief Executive, Culham St Gabriel’s Trust
“As a nation, we must ensure that every young person has access to high-quality Religious Education, taught by well-supported and knowledgeable teachers. The lack of bursaries and subject knowledge enhancement funding for RE not only undermines recruitment but also sends the wrong message about the value of this vital subject. Investing in RE teachers is an investment in a more inclusive, understanding, and cohesive society.”
The letter recommends the immediate introduction of ITE bursaries for RE trainees, aligning RE with other priority subjects, and the reinstatement and expansion of SKE funding for prospective RE teachers.
The signatories call on the Department for Education to invest in Religious Education and support those wishing to teach the subject, emphasising that this is an issue of fairness and a statement of commitment to preparing students for a diverse and interconnected world.
Read the letter in full here: https://www.cstg.org.uk/2026/01/19/open-letter-to-the-department-for-education/
