Faith schools undermine equality, choice and social cohesion.
Let's build an inclusive education system today, to ensure an inclusive society tomorrow.
Our education system should be open and welcoming to all. That's why we want publicly funded faith schools phased out and an end to religiously selective school admissions.
Around a third of publicly funded schools in England and Wales are faith schools – schools with a religious character. Scottish and Northern Irish schools are still divided along sectarian lines.
Separating children according to religion is divisive and leads to religious, ethnic and socio-economic segregation.
To make matters worse, many faith schools can discriminate against pupils and teachers who do not share the religion of the school.
Parents are entitled to raise their children within a faith tradition, but they are not entitled to enlist the help of the state to do so. The state should not allow the schools it funds to inculcate children into a particular religion.
Faith schools seriously limit choice for parents who do not want a religious education for their children, or do not share the faith of the local school. Our research has found that 18,000 families were assigned faith schools against their wishes in England in 2017 alone.
Despite a consistent and dramatic decline in church attendance, and a growing majority of non-religious citizens, successive governments have paved the way for ever greater religious involvement in education, often to the detriment of inclusive community schools.
A secular approach to education would ensure publicly funded schools are equally welcoming to all children, regardless of their backgrounds.
Take action!
1. Write to your MP
Please call on your MP to support a secular, inclusive education system for all.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join us
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Sexual disorder linked to faith based sex education
Posted: Mon, 14 Feb 2022 09:19
A sexual disorder in women may be linked to religious control of sex education, a study suggests.
An article in the journal Sexual and Relationship Therapy says vaginismus, the condition of being unable to have penetrative sex due to the involuntary tightening of pelvic muscles, could be connected to religious suppression of female sexuality and a lack of accurate sex education.
It says a "strong adherence to conservative values" and "strict moral related standards" were found to play an active role in the defensive reflex of the pelvic muscles.
The study said Ireland had the highest prevalence rates of vaginismus in Europe, which could be attributed to "an active suppression of accurate sex education" through the Catholic dominance of state schools in Ireland.
Ireland's Education Act allows schools to teach relationships and sex education (RSE) in accordance with the school's ethos. Eighty-eight per cent of Ireland's schools are Catholic.
Faith schools in the UK are also permitted to teach RSE according to their ethos. A 2018 study by the National Secular Society found 77% of state funded secondary faith schools in England distort RSE by teaching it through a religious lens. This includes schools that teach sex outside of heterosexual marriage, contraception and abortion are sinful. Similar issues were also found in Scottish and Welsh faith schools.
Dr Maria McEvoy, a psychology lecturer in Waterford Institute of Technology and one of the article's authors, said: "Sex education in Irish schools definitely plays a role because of the church's grip on the curriculum and the government's lack of resources in training sexual health teachers."
The study said Catholicism "has been singled out as being particularly restrictive regarding sexual morality".
There have been recent calls to stop Irish schools from teaching RSE according to religious ideologies.
The study found religious orthodoxy "is synonymous with guilt" around sexual behaviour, which frequently leads to sexual dysfunction.
It said there were high rates of vaginismus in religiously conservative Middle Eastern countries that expect brides to be virgins, restrict premarital sex and hold arranged marriages. Such countries also "prioritise male sexual and marital satisfaction over female pleasure".
It said methods of sexual suppression in conservative religious societies can including "teaching anti-sexual morality and encouraging the passive role of the female in sexual relationships", in addition to "fear messages" to discourage sexual behaviour in women. These methods can all increase the risk of vaginismus.
Religiosity has also been linked to a lack of sexual knowledge, which itself is correlated with vaginismus, the study said. It said education "has been found to empower women with the knowledge and confidence to seek help for sexual problems".
NSS comment
NSS head of policy and research Megan Manson said: "We've long known that impartial and accurate sex education is crucial to help young people keep themselves safe and healthy in relationships as they grow up.
"And now there's evidence that poor, religiously-distorted sex education can directly affect the sexual health of women.
"Our own research has found many Catholic schools in the UK state that reproductive healthcare and sex outside of heterosexual marriage are sinful in their RSE policies. If such messages are leading to women being unable to enjoy a fulfilling sex life, this is extremely worrying and must be challenged.
"All young people, regardless of religious background, have a right to an education that enhances their experiences in adult life rather than diminishing them."
Wigan to close non-faith school despite lack of secular options
Posted: Thu, 10 Feb 2022 14:57
The National Secular Society has criticised a council's plans to close a community school to keep a Catholic school open.
Wigan Council needs to reduce a surplus of school places by closing either Abram Bryn Gates primary community school or Holy Family Catholic primary school.
The council announced their decision to close Abram Bryn Gates in a report published yesterday on responses to a consultation late last year. The report reveals consultation respondents supporting either school were evenly split. The decision will be subject to a further four weeks of consultation.
In its response to last year's consultation, the NSS argued that closing the community school – in an area where 90% of families already face high or extreme restrictions on the choice of a non-faith school – may be unlawful. The Education Act 1996 places a duty on local authorities to provide schools sufficient in number and character to give all pupils the opportunity of "appropriate education".
The NSS's response additionally highlighted government guidance on the closure of schools which supported their case.
The NSS also organised a local petition to keep Abram Bryn Gates open. Wigan parents who signed the petition include Rachel, who said: "My daughter is currently attending Abram Bryn Gates school and is of no faith and that is how we chose to bring our children up. We do not want any faith forced on her and will not send her to a school of any faith."
Another local parent, Geoff, said: "Please don't take away one the very few remaining options for those of us who wish to avoid our children being indoctrinated with any religion. Our son will be starting primary school in 2023 and our choices are already extremely limited."
The council's response did not address the NSS's arguments. However, they did acknowledge that parents of children at Abram Bryn Gates Primary "have specifically chosen a non-faith school for their child" and that there is "no desire for their children to be taught in a faith-based school".
Their response also acknowledged that there are "no other community non-faith based schools available within the area or within a reasonable distance of where children live that have places available".
The council claims that closing the Catholic primary would mean pupils would not be able to attend the Catholic secondary school, despite acknowledging that the secondary school's religious selection criteria do not depend on the previous school attended.
The council has said that it will be able to make a "reasonable offer of a school place" to children attending Abram Bryn Gates. However, NSS research indicates that the lack of other community schools in the area means the school places are likely to be in faith schools.
Had Holy Family Catholic primary been selected for closure, pupils would have been accommodated at Abram Bryn Gates or offered transportation to the nearest alternative Catholic primary.
NSS head of education Alastair Lichten said: "This is a hugely disappointing and discriminatory decision. The reasoning for the council's decision fails to address the significant legal questions raised. We will continue to work with local supporters to explore all options.
"Catholic education has been prioritised above ensuring secular community schooling is available for families that quite reasonably want it. Such schools are suitable for pupils of all backgrounds. Leaving parents without access to a non-faith based school undermines freedom of religion or belief and is a frankly ridiculous state of affairs.
"This whole mess stems from an outmoded and divisive education system that organises schools around religious identities. Moving to a secular education system where children of all faith and belief backgrounds are educated together and encouraged to develop their own beliefs has to be way forward for publicly funded education in the UK."
More information
Protect relationships and sex education
Age-appropriate relationships and sex education should be every child’s right.
Remove religious appointees from Scottish councils
Religion shouldn’t grant people privileged places in local democracy.
Research and reports
The faith schools research bank
The choice delusion: how faith schools restrict school choice
Three in ten families across England live in areas where most or all of the closest primary schools are faith schools and thousands are being assigned faith schools against their wishes.
Power grab: Academisation and the threat to secular education
Academisation has enabled faith groups to increase their influence over all schools, including those with no religious character. With little public debate, religious governance has increased, while secular oversight has diminished.
Religiosity inspections: the case against faith-based reviews of state schools
Faith based inspections of state schools are an unnecessary drain on public finds, frame widely held values as exclusive, and promote biased religious education.
Faith-shaped holes: How religious privilege is undermining equality law (PDF, 1.3 Mb)
