§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what courses are available in theology and religious studies in universities in England and Wales; and how the number of places on such courses for the years 1981 to 1984 compares with the number of places available in the last academic year.
§ Mr. WaldegraveFirst degree courses in theology in the universities of England and Wales may be found in the annual handbook of the Universities Central Council on Admissions "How to Apply for Admission to a University". No estimate can be made of the number of places, as the universities do not set specific entry targets for each course. In 1981, 509 candidates were accepted through the council for first degree courses in theology in these universities, compared with 597 in 1980. No forecast can be made for theology alone. The student number targets for 1983–84 and 1984–85 set by the University Grants Committee cover arts subjects as a whole.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list in the Official Report all local education authorities which have produced recently revised agreed syllabuses for religious education.
§ Dr. BoysonI understand that the following local education authorities in England have introduced revised agreed syllabuses for religious education since 1970
Avon, Berkshire, Bexley, Birmingham, Bromley, Cheshire, Croydon, Devon, Dorset, Enfield, East Sussex, Hampshire, Harrow, Havering, Hereford and Worcester, Hillingdon, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Kent, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Stockport, Staffordshire, Tameside, Wiltshire.A number of other local education authorities are at present reviewing their agreed syllabuses.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many (a) A-level passes, (b) O-level passes and (c) CSE passes there were in religious studies in each local education authority in the most recent year for which figures are available.
§ Dr. BoysonNo reliable information is available. The Department collects information on examination successes nationally through a 10 per cent. sample survey of school338W leavers. Estimates for individual local education authorities based on this survey would be subject to an unacceptable sampling error.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate (a) the number of parents who withdrew their children from religious education in maintained primary and secondary schools and (b) the number of parents who under section 25(5) of the Education Act 1944 wish religious education of a particular kind to be made available in schools outside school hours.
§ Dr. BoysonThe Department does not collect information which would enable such an estimate to be made.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what teacher training colleges and other institutions offer courses in specialist religious education training; and how many students at each of the colleges or institutions are taking such courses.
§ Dr. BoysonThe following are the teacher training establishments in England and Wales which offer courses in specialist religious education training:
Universities
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Durham
- East Anglia
- Exeter
- Hull
- London
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Nottingham
- Oxford
- Southampton
- Wales
- Warwick
Voluntary Colleges
- Chester
- Christ Church
- De La Selle
- Derby Lonsdale
- Goldsmiths
- Homerton
- King Alfred's
339 - La Sainte Union
- Liverpool Institute of Higher Education
- Newman
- Roehampton Institute of Higher Education
- Ripon and York St. John
- St. Marle and St. John
- St. Martin's
- St. Mary's, Fenham
- St. Mary's, Twickenham
- St. Paul and St. Mary
- Trinity and All Saints
- West London Institute of Higher Education
- Westhill
- Westminster
- West Sussex Institute of Higher Education
Polytechnics
- Birmingham
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Manchester
- Middlesex
- Newcastle
- North Staffs
- Trent
Other Maintained Colleges
- Avery Hill
- Bangor Normal
- Bretton Hall
- Crewe and Alsager
- Edge Hill
- Herts College of Higher Education
- Hull College of Higher Education
- Liverpool College of Higher Education
- Matlock College of Higher Education
- Neve
- North Cheshire
- Rolle
- West Midlands College of Higher Education
In 1980 the number of students on teacher training courses with religious education as a single or joint subject was 1,650. Figures for each of the establishments listed could be made available only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what conveniently available statistics he has on which universities and colleges run degree courses in theology or religious studies, and with how many students and postgraduates;
(2) what information he has as to how many students completed degree courses in 1980 and 1981 in either theology or religious studies; and if he will list the courses and the universities and colleges involved.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Universities Central Council on Admissions issues an annual handbook "How to apply for admission to a university", which gives information about the universities which provide first degree courses in theology. In 1980–81 universities or colleges in Great Britain which ran courses were Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Exeter, Hull, Kent, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton, Sussex, Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, St. David's, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews and Stirling.
In the same year there were 1989 full-time and sandwich students aiming for a university first degree or first diploma and 356 aiming for a higher degree. 705 gained first and 153 higher degrees. In 1980 one public sector establishment of further education offered a first degree course in theology and had 24 full-time students. 340W First degree awards at this college are already included in the figures quoted for universities. It is not the usual practice for a breakdown of individual subjects by universities to be given. Figures for 1981 are not yet available.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of the December 1979 to July 1980 school leavers were entered for (a) A-level, (b) O-level and (c) CSE in religious studies; when the figures for December 1980 to July 1981 will be available; and what were the comparative figures in each of the Last 10 years.
§ Dr. BoysonThe numbers of English school leavers in 1969–70 and 1979–80 who had entered for CSE and GCE examinations in religious studies were as follows:
Thousands 1969–70 1979–80 A level 4.6 3.9 O level* 43.9 55.7 CSE but not O level 21.3 52.3 * Some of these leavers may also have attempted a CSE examination in religious studies. Comparable information for intervening years is readily available for 1977–78 and 1978–79 only for leavers who had attempted A-level in religious studies, when the figures were 3,900 and 3,600 respectively.
Information for leavers in 1980–81 should become available in the early summer.