BHA: Church of England publishes watered-down guidelines on school admissions

New guidelines from the Church of England on school admissions contain no recommendations or commitments aimed to reduce religious discrimination in admissions of its state-maintained ‘faith’ schools, despite earlier suggestions that it would do so. The British Humanist Association (BHA) has said the omission of plans to reduce religious discrimination in the guidelines is ‘a blow to all those who are working to have a truly inclusive school system.’

In April the Bishop of Oxford the Rt Revd John Pritchard, Chair of the Church of England Board of Education and of the National Society Council, had said ‘Ultimately I hope we can get the number of reserved places right down to 10 per cent.’ It was implied that the new guidelines published today would urge schools to follow this.

Instead, the guidelines simply contain vague advice that ‘Church of England schools should be able to show how their Admissions Policy and practice demonstrates the school’s commitment both to distinctiveness and inclusivity, to church families and the wider community.’

When the Bishop of Oxford announced the recommendation in April, the BHA stated that the change would be ‘welcome but does not go far enough’. Today Revd Pritchard stated, ‘We are not prescribing percentages (there will always be a range of opinions on these) or specific admissions criteria, but offering a framework.’

BHA Faith Schools Campaigner Richy Thompson commented: ‘It is outrageous that many Church of England schools discriminate in admissions at all, while at the same time being fully funded by the public. Earlier suggestions that the Church might at least recommend a reduction were a step in the right direction. That this has not happened is a blow to all those who are working to have a truly inclusive state-maintained school system.’

Mr Thompson continued, ‘We have been working closely with our supporters in parliament on the issue of school admissions, and amendments to the Education Bill which would make unlawful any religious discrimination by schools, including Academies and Free Schools, will be discussed in the House of Lords in the coming weeks.’

Notes

For further comment or information, please contact Richy Thompson on 020 7462 4993.

Read the Church of England’s new admissions advice, and comments from the Bishop of Oxford on that advice. http://www.churchofengland.org/education/church-schools-academies.aspx

Read the Bishop of Oxford’s comments in April to the Times Education Supplement http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6078734, and the BHA’s response to those comments.

The British Humanist Association is the national charity working on behalf of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.

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