No More Faith Schools - April 2021 Update

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Welcome to your April update from the No More Faith Schools campaign. Over the last month we have welcomed an important milestone in Northern Ireland as Seaview Primary is set to be the first Catholic faith school to become integrated. In our latest testimonial, Andrew from Harrogate shares his experience as a headteacher and local adviser seeing faith schools become more evangelical.

I've been continuing my series of talks across the country, speaking to local groups about how they can challenge faith schools and push for inclusive alternatives. I hope that you can make it to this or one of our many online events, and that we'll have some in person events soon.

Tomorrow (Thursday 8 April) the National Secular Society will be holding a launch event for their faith school research bank. Click here to find out more.

Best wishes,

Alastair Lichten
NMFS campaign coordinator

P.S. If you want to get more involved in the campaign check out the ideas in 20 ways you can support an end to faith schools today.

Take action: Write to your local paper

We're continuing to feature ideas on how you can support the campaign. Our focus this month is on writing to your local paper. Local news plays an important role in informing debate, and is closely followed by councillors and other decision makers.

If you're concerned about a proposal to open a local faith school, writing to the press can help to put the issue on the political agenda. Letters in the local press can also show people care about this issue at a very early stage of any potential proposals.

Latest from the campaign

First Catholic school in Northern Ireland to become integrated

The Northern Ireland executive has approved a plan for a Catholic school to become an integrated one for the first time, meaning it will serve children... Read More »

Testimonials

Teacher’s perspective: How C of E schools grew more evangelistic during my career

After decades of experience as a headteacher and local adviser I became convinced that faith schools are intrinsically wrong, says Andrew from Harrogate.... Read More »

Discriminatory faith schools make it harder to find a school place

A parent from Harpenden in Hertfordshire on the difficulty facing non-religious families trying to find a school place.

When we applied for a primary school... Read More »