Where we stand on faith schools

One of the National Secular Society’s primary aims is the secularisation of Britain’s education system. We would like to see all state-funded schools returned to community control, and all religious entry requirements abolished. This, we recognise, would be a major undertaking, but one that we feel is increasingly urgent.

Not only is the ‘faith school’ system unjust – in that over-subscribed religious schools can, uniquely, impose entry requirements based on the religion of the child’s parents – it is a menace to the future harmony of our diverse culture.

We have argued that permitting publicly-funded schools to pick and choose their pupils on the basis of religion is an abuse of Human Rights. Although the European Convention on Human Rights permits parents to educate their children in the religion of their choice, it does not put a responsibility upon the state to provide that particular kind of education. Many parents prefer to send their children to private schools that have the particular religious ethos they require. We have no objection to this.

At present, approximately a third of our education system (mostly in the primary sector) is under the control of religious bodies, and the Government is making it easier for churches and religious groups and individuals to take over more schools and academies. We think this is highly undesirable, and disadvantages those parents who have no religion (according to opinion polls, rapidly becoming the majority). It also opens up the school system to wealthy individuals who want to sponsor academies in order to promote extreme versions of religion - including creationism and orthodox versions of Islam. In such schools, science is undermined and girls are rendered inferior. The emphasis on religion in such schools is disproportionate.

You will read in the material in these pages a rebuttal of the claims from proponents of faith schools (mainly the churches) that they are popular because they are successful. What success they achieve is usually attributable to the selection processes which they uniquely enjoy, which permits them to screen out the pupils who will be a drain on the school’s resources and screen in those who are already achieving well, are well-supported and come from affluent families. You will find supporting evidence for these contentions in the articles that follow.

There is also the question of segregation – in a society that is already seeing rising tensions over race and religion, it is undesirable in our view for children to be separated on the grounds of religion at such a formative time in their lives. It is vital that children should learn about each other and be given the opportunity for friendship at such a time.

The proposed expansion of schools for those from religious minorities will further separate them from the mainstream communities.

The NSS is also concerned about the nature of religious education in schools. This is often used as an excuse for proselytising and evangelisation. You will read in the following articles that the NSS seeks to remove the concept of religious education from schools and replace it with something much more objective and balanced. We seek to rid schools of the legal requirement that they have at present for a daily act of collective worship. We have argued forcefully that such compulsion in religion is a gross violation of a child’s Human Rights and freedom of conscience.

Our policies are developing as new evidence arises. Please keep returning to these pages and keep up with new thinking and news of our progress.

---