Religious studies is an academically rigorous subject offered at top UK universities, but it has faced challenges in recent years at the secondary level. The number of students taking RS A-Level has more than doubled since 2003, but GCSE entries have declined by 67% since 2012 due to the subject's removal from performance tables. This has contributed to a lack of specialist RE teachers and variability in teaching quality. While government ministers have acknowledged the importance of teaching mutual respect between faiths, their policies have provided inconsistent support for religious education in schools.