Equal places for churchgoers/non churchgoers in new faith schools

[HilaryM]

About time too!
WDYT?

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10205477/No-places-for-churchgoers-in-newly-opened-faith-schools.html

I think it is generally only a problem in London. Out in villages the church school is the only school and living in the catchment comes first.

Most CofE schools are VC and entirely community criteria. All its academies are too. I don't know how many new schools they are planning to open though, so this might be rather less than it seems.

The "hope" for amendment to existing schools is restatement of a position which has been around for years, but not something which can be centrally imposed.

The growth area for new faith schools seems to be in areas where there is a demand for Hindu education. Are other denominations and faiths making any changes?

Good! I don't think I'll ever believe in God but I'm starting to believe in Christians again.

It may be mostly a problem in cities, Exotic, but the church school in my village only reserves 4 places by distance. And there are towns in the NW of England where the church schools are currently socially divisive.

Unfortunately, existing schools aren't taking the same inclusive line - e.g. this just at the start of this month.

Certainly not only a probelm in London there are other towns and villages you know

Our local C of E has a very strong criteria for church going. Its noticable that our local church is packed with parents with smaller children but not that many over 5s. Just shows that people are being forced into effectively lying for a good education for their children in some areas. DD is not there by the way

I think this is not before time. My son is n a Catholic school and got a place there before he was Catholic. He got in because it was the only school with a place when we moved here. Tbh it has been a fabulous school for him so I am fortunate, I'd like to think all children could have a chance of being in a school like the one DS is in. He is autistic and they are great with him, then again 40% of their intake is of no religion or different religion. The school celebrates and recognises all the children.

Good. Let's hope CofE schools get back to being community schools that serve their community.

Our local catholic secondary do not give priority to children in local authority care. They also want children baptised before 12 months old which in my humble opinon discriminates against disorganised but faithful catholics or those who diliberately choose to wait until their children are old enough to decide.

I feel that faith schools should be forced to take their fair share of kids on free school dinners or EAL or SEN or difficult to place children. Often selection criteria of faith schools unfairly favour two parent families or financially well off families or white british families.

I feel that people who want to pick a school on the basis of faith should only get priority at the nearest faith school. It is not right to have children being bussed 10 miles to a catholic/ C of E school when there is a catholic/ C of E school on their doorstep.

I don't think this is a bad thing. Will the schools still be able to do as they have done in the past with a christian ethos or will the non-religious pupils be able to opt out etc.

I think if they are a C of E school they should be able to run it as so.

I think the mix of church/community places should depend on the funding, for example if the church fund 60% of the school and the government fund 40% then the split of places should be 60/40.