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
NSS backs reduction in religious selection at Suffolk faith schools
Posted: Thu, 10 Feb 2022 14:11
The National Secular Society has welcomed a decision to end religious selection in some Church of England faith schools in Suffolk.
From September 2023, CofE voluntary controlled (VC) schools will stop prioritising church-going families in their oversubscription criteria.
The move was backed by the NSS in response to a consultation by Suffolk County Council in October. The proposal to remove this priority was made in response to concerns raised about equality and inclusion.
In response to the consultation, the NSS called for religious discrimination to be dropped from all state funded admissions in the county. It said religiously selective admissions criteria "sends a message that legitimises discrimination and can give the impression that religious adherence is required to attend the school".
A majority (68.4%) of consultation respondents also agreed with the change.
Previously, VC schools had prioritised "practising members of the Church of England (or other church within the Worldwide Anglican Communion)" for a minimum period of one year before the school application closing date.
St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Board of Education requested that the council adjusted admission arrangements for the 2021/2022 school year. This was to ensure COVID-19 restrictions did not affect admission for families who were unable to be present at church.
In maintaining this arrangement, the council launched a consultation for the 2022/2024 school year. Fifteen percent of parents or carers articulated concerns regarding the prioritisation of Anglican families.
This led the council and the diocese to revise the criteria and consult for the 2023/2024 school year.
NSS comment
NSS head of education Alastair Lichten said: "The move to end religious selection in some Suffolk faith schools is a good start, but does not go far enough.
"The end to religious discrimination in school admissions must be put into UK law. No child should be turned away from their local schools because of their family's faith.
"Reducing religious selection in schools would promote an inclusive education system and fairly represent the diverse country that Britain is today."
Notes
- Admissions to VC schools are controlled by the local council. They can legally only discriminate in admissions with the approval of their local authority. The government does not centrally record how many VC faith schools discriminate, though it is known to be far rarer than discrimination in other types of faith school.
- Thirty one percent of pupils in Suffolk face high or extreme restrictions on the choice of a non-faith primary school. In September 2021, 122 pupils were assigned places at faith schools against family preferences for a non-faith school.
- The policy change will not affect the 66 voluntary aided and academy faith schools in Suffolk where the council is not the admissions authority, many of which have faith selective admissions.
Girls at failing faith school not taught ‘consent or respect’ in RSE
Posted: Wed, 9 Feb 2022 13:01
Pupils at an independent faith school are not taught enough about healthy relationships, including consent, inspectors have found.
According to a report published last week, Ofsted inspectors found pupils "do not learn about harmful sexual behaviour, consent and respect" in relationships and sex education (RSE) at Jamia-Al-Hudaa Residential College in Nottingham.
Jamia-Al-Hudaa is a Deobandi Islamic boarding school for girls aged 11-19.
During the inspection late last year, in which the school was rated 'inadequate', inspectors found the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is "poorly planned" with "insufficient time allocated to the subject". Consequently, pupils do not have enough experience to "prepare them for life in modern Britain".
Additionally, pupils "only learn about heterosexual relationships and marriage". Schools are required to promote equality and pupils' understanding of the protected characteristics, including sexual orientation, which are outlined in equality law.
The report also said the curriculum "provides pupils with limited opportunities" and pupils "do not have the opportunity to study creative or artistic subjects".
All sixth form students study an "Islamic science curriculum" and do not have the chance to learn other subjects unless studied in their own free time.
Subjects taught under the "Islamic science curriculum" include the memorisation and interpretation of Islamic texts, Islamic history and Arabic, according to the school's website.
The report said leaders have not taken action to address issues that have been highlighted in previous inspections by Ofsted.
Jamia-Al-Hudaa was previously criticised by inspectors in 2019 for "numerous failings" in relation to safeguarding and systems to support students' wellbeing. In 2015 it was also rated 'inadequate', and inspectors said it did not give pupils sufficient access to books about "different faiths or British history".
NSS Comment
A spokesperson from the National Secular Society's education team said: "It is deeply concerning that this school is failing to teach girls how to keep themselves safe in relationships. All schools must ensure pupils are given the knowledge they need about sex and relationships to protect themselves from exploitation and harm.
"This school has a considerable track record of prioritising religious teachings over the education and wellbeing of pupils. The government must make it clear that this is never acceptable by taking robust action against those that repeatedly do so."
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)
