The Government has today backed eight more religious Free Schools to open, including Church of England, Christian and Sikh schools. The schools are amongst 27 mainstream schools and eight other schools ‘pre-approved’ (i.e. backed) by the Department for Education (DfE) as part of the seventh wave of Free School applications. The schools will open in 2015 or 2016. The British Humanist Association (BHA) has expressed concern at the continuing proliferation of religious discrimination in the state school system.
The new schools pre-approved to open include:
- Four Church of England schools (Harrow Bilingual Primary School, North Twyford CE High School in Ealing, St John’s Church of England Primary School in Hertfordshire, and Wynyard Church of England Primary School in Stockton-on-Tees)
- Two other Christian schools (Hope Community School, a primary in Southampton, and Trinity High School in Merton)
- Two Sikh schools (The Atam Academy, an all-through school in Redbridge, and The British Sikh School, a secondary in Wolverhampton)
Two weeks ago the Government announced the names of all groups applying to open Free Schools as part of the seventh wave, the first time it has made such an announcement prior to deciding which it is backing to open. This followed on from a long campaign by the BHA for the timely release of such information, which has seen the Information Tribunal and Information Commissioner’s Office repeatedly tell the DfE it must provide the relevant information in response to Freedom of Information requests as soon as it has it. Whether the DfE will provide this information in such a timely manner in the future remains to be seen.
Commenting on today’s announcement, BHA Faith Schools Campaigner Richy Thompson said, ‘Every young person should be able to grow up in a school community that is diverse and equally welcoming to those of all faiths and none. State-funded schools organised by a single faith can use religion to exclude pupils and staff from gaining admittance in the first place, and discriminate against them once they are there. This isn’t right, and we will continue to push the Government to stop the proliferation of religious schools.’
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For further comment or information, please contact Richy Thompson on 020 7324 3072.
See who the latest pre-approved schools are: https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/List-of-proposed-Free-Schools.xlsx
Read the BHA’s previous comment, upon the publication of the names of those applying: https://humanists.uk/2014/09/16/government-publishes-details-latest-free-school-applicants-prior-deciding-back-open/
Read more about the BHA’s campaigns work on ‘faith’ schools: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/religion-and-schools/faith-schools
View the BHA’s table of types of school with a religious character: https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/schools-with-a-religious-character.pdf
The British Humanist Association is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people who seek to live ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity. It promotes a secular state and equal treatment in law and policy of everyone, regardless of religion or belief.