Tags: Faith schools
Church schools are faith schools. Pretending otherwise is dishonest
Posted: Fri, 20 Jul 2018 by Alastair Lichten
The Church of England's pretence that 'its' schools aren't faith schools is a dishonest attempt to avoid association with the unpopularity of faith-based schooling, and at odds with their actual policy, argues Alastair Lichten. Read More »
Sectarian schooling is nothing to celebrate
Posted: Fri, 13 Jul 2018 by Stephen Evans
Integrating schools isn't a magic bullet to end sectarianism, but no serious attempt to address the issue can ignore the role of religiously segregated schools, argues Stephen Evans. Read More »
Seven secularist steps that would strengthen democracy in the UK
Posted: Wed, 04 Jul 2018 by Megan Manson
In recognition of National Democracy Week 2018, Megan Manson reflects on what still needs to be changed to make the UK a truly democratic, secular state. Read More »
Religion and politics – the discrepancy at the heart of our schools
Posted: Tue, 12 Jun 2018 by Alastair Lichten
Schools are forbidden from promoting, showing favouritism to or discriminating on the grounds of partisan politics. Alastair Lichten asks why partisan religious beliefs are treated so differently. Read More »
The government's U-turn shows the tide is turning against faith schools
Posted: Fri, 18 May 2018 by Stephen Evans
The decision not to allow more faith-based admissions to new free schools in England is a big win, says Stephen Evans. But the expansion of faith schools is the wrong response to Britain's growing religious diversity. Read More »
How secularism cuts the Gordian knot in education
Posted: Fri, 18 May 2018 by Megan Manson
Faith schools' approach to admissions and sex education reminds us that religious groups' interests often conflict with those of society. Megan Manson says the only answer to this is to separate education from religion. Read More »
Faith schools: why reducing the harm isn’t enough
Posted: Mon, 23 Apr 2018 by Alastair Lichten
We can mitigate the harm caused by faith schools in plenty of ways. But after the launch of the No More Faith Schools campaign, Alastair Lichten says the long-term battle is over the fact faith groups run schools at all. Read More »
We can’t build a shared society around segregated schools
Posted: Thu, 15 Mar 2018 by Alastair Lichten
Our education and schools officer examines the education proposals in the Government's new integration strategy and argues that they should lead to a wider discussion of children's rights and facing up to the religious segregation rife in education. Read More »
Sturgeon’s praise for Catholic schools will exacerbate Scotland’s tribal divisions
Posted: Wed, 28 Feb 2018 by Neil Barber
Catholic schools are no remedy for a society facing ingrained sectarian division, writes Neil Barber. In praising them Scotland's first minister has shown a willingness to sacrifice social cohesion to reach a block vote. Read More »
Schools and segregation: a lesson from France
Posted: Tue, 30 Jan 2018 by Keith Sharpe
The Government is preparing to extend religious selection in faith schools. Keith Sharpe contrasts its willingness to cause greater segregation with French efforts to encourage integration in the wake of terror attacks. Read More »
Faith School Admissions: Four Myths Busted
Posted: Mon, 22 Jan 2018 by Megan Manson
Megan Manson takes on common myths about the 50% cap on children admitted on religious grounds to faith schools. Read More »
The David and Goliath battle in our schools: parents versus religion
Posted: Thu, 11 Jan 2018 by Megan Manson
As NSS research highlights a systemic bias against secular schooling, Megan Manson explores the tactics used by religion to infiltrate education – and how parents are fighting back. Read More »
Intolerant religion mustn’t dictate England’s education policy
Posted: Wed, 26 Jul 2017 by Stephen Evans
The government is under fire over proposals to lift the cap on faith-based admissions in faith schools. Stephen Evans says the plans should be abandoned - and religious groups' role in education rolled back. Read More »
The PM must be held to account for her faith school obsession
Posted: Thu, 20 Jul 2017 by Chris Sloggett
Theresa May's plans to expand faith schools in Britain are ill-judged. In response, Chris Sloggett argues, it is up to secularists to make a principled case: state education must be grounded in reason and free intellectual enquiry. Read More »
Separate is not equal – not in this ‘faith’ school
Posted: Tue, 11 Jul 2017 by Stephen Evans
Turning a blind eye to discriminatory gender discrimination in Islamic schools would be disaster for future generations of British girls growing up in Muslim communities, argues Stephen Evans.
I was in court this week for Ofsted's appeal of a ruling that gender... Read More »
Why are we still allowing religion to retard young people’s education and health rights?
Posted: Thu, 09 Mar 2017 by Stephen Evans
The Government's proposals on Relationships and Sex Education are a welcome step in the right direction – but religious opt outs mean many children will continue to be left behind, writes Stephen Evans.
The Government's move to make Relationships and... Read More »
A faith-based education system is deeply inefficient
Posted: Tue, 07 Mar 2017 by Benjamin Jones
Both the Government and the Labour Party have wilful blind spots around faith schools, and as the Government looks set to launch a new wave of faith schools amid an education funding crisis, how can such an inefficient system be justified?
The Prime Minister... Read More »
Faith schools mustn’t be allowed to stymie young people’s sexual health and well-being
Posted: Thu, 12 Jan 2017 by Stephen Evans
Political sensitivity about faith schools is getting in the way of providing evidence-based, age-appropriate sex and relationships education (SRE) to all children. We can't wait forever for the Government's proposals on SRE, writes Stephen Evans.
The latest... Read More »
A faith ethos is no magic solution for improving schools
Posted: Sat, 07 Jan 2017 by Alistair McBay
There are success stories and failures in schools of all types, including faith schools, despite what the churches would have people believe. NSS vice president Alistair McBay debunks the myth that 'faith school' is a byword for success.
2016 was another interesting... Read More »
Clerics shouldn’t be the gatekeepers to publicly funded schools
Posted: Fri, 25 Nov 2016 by Stephen Evans
A progressive education policy would seek to break down barriers between people of different faiths and beliefs, not erect them, writes NSS campaigns director Stephen Evans.
The schools adjudicator recently ruled against a new policy across all Catholic schools... Read More »
Inclusive education: divisive faith schools are the elephant in the room
Posted: Fri, 30 Sep 2016 by Stephen Evans
NSS campaigns director on why progressives of all political and religious stripes should unite in opposing Theresa May's plan to open a new wave of divisive 'faith schools'
As an advocate for secular education, my hopes were raised momentarily this week when... Read More »
Governor’s perspective: beware an increasingly assertive religious ethos in ‘Church schools’
Posted: Tue, 16 Aug 2016 by A Governor
The NSS is regularly contacted by governors and staff at Church of England schools who are pressured by their diocese to promote a more rigorous 'Christian ethos' - whether or not it's suitable for their school community. Here's one governor's account of increasing religiosity at their local school. Read More »
When is a community school not a community school?
Posted: Wed, 06 Jul 2016 by Alastair Lichten
Religious organisations are pushing for an increased role in non-religious community schools. This seriously risks blurring the line between faith and community schools, writes Alastair Lichten. Read More »
Faith schools add to the angst of school offer day
Posted: Mon, 18 Apr 2016 by Stephen Evans
National Offer Day is when many parents fall victim to religious discrimination or discover they've been allocated a religious school against their wishes. Stephen Evans argues that a move towards a secular education system might make school offer day a little... Read More »
Classrooms should be free from an overbearing religious ethos
Posted: Mon, 15 Feb 2016 by Stephen Evans
With the Church seeking to extend its influence over the management of schools, Stephen Evans argues that religious groups' demands shouldn't outweigh parental rights and children's independent interests. Read More »
