MP Letter: The choice delusion

The choice delusion: how faith schools restrict choice

Writing to your MP can help to get the campaign regarding the issue of choice delusion on the political agenda and show this is an issue their constituents care about. We campaign in parliament as an organisation, and your support will bolster our case. It is quick easy and helps your MP represent you in Parliament.

Tell your MP that it's time to end the choice delusion in England and provide parents and children with greater alternatives.

Read our latest briefing on 'choice delusion' to ensure that you are up to date and well informed surrounding this issue.

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Personalising your letter will make it more likely to have an impact.
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Keep your thoughts brief. MPs are busy and get a lot of correspondence.
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Use clear and simple language.

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Dear {{name}}

I am writing as a constituent to ask you to help raise the issue of the choice delusion in England and how faith schools restrict choice.

The National Secular Society’s ‘Choice Delusion’ research displays how faith schools restrict choice for many families like mine in England.

I am shocked to learn that over three in ten people live in areas where the option of a non-faith primary school is highly or extremely restricted and that for secondary schools it is one in ten.

2022 marks the fourth consecutive September where more than 20,000 pupils were assigned faith schools despite their families expressing a preference for a school without a designated religious character or ethos.

We often hear faith schools justified in terms of choice, but research like that of the ‘choice delusion’ shows how hollow such excuses are.

In 2021, 30% of families had little or no choice but a faith-based primary school. In each of the three worst-performing authorities by this measure, more than four in five families live in areas of high or extreme restrictions.

In our increasingly religiously diverse and irreligious society, schools should be bringing communities together, not driving them apart.

Incredibly, despite multiple parliamentary questions, the DfE still haven’t produced their estimate of the number of families affected.

I, therefore, urge you to ask the minister responsible to address the issue of faith-based restrictions on school choice and suitability to ensure that all families have access to a non-religious school.

The report makes several recommendations. This includes moving towards a fully inclusive, secular (i.e., community-ethos) school system that provides a suitable education for all pupils irrespective of religion or belief, which would be the most effective way to ensure greater fairness and genuine choice.

Other recommendations including a legal entitlement for all families to have reasonable access to a non-faith (community-ethos) school, can be supported by those with a variety of views on the current position of faith schools.

I am certain that many families in our constituency have been left with no option but a faith school or been locked out of their nearest school by discriminatory admissions, and urge you to take up this cause.

I know that I am not alone in feeling strongly about this matter, you can find many supporter comments here: secularism.org.uk/faith-schools/choice-delusion-comments

The NSS has produced a concise briefing on this matter. I hope that you will read their work here: secularism.org.uk/ChoiceDelusion

Yours sincerely,

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MP Letter: The choice delusion

The choice delusion: how faith schools restrict choice

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