83% of residents in the London Borough of Hackney believe that schools should be ‘non-denominational’ in character and open to all, a new report has revealed. Humanists UK, which campaigns for all schools to be of this nature, has stated that the findings demonstrate once again that the public are overwhelmingly opposed to the segregating impact of religious schools.
The report, entitled Hackney: Schools for Everyone, details the results of a survey of over 2,500 local residents on various education issues, and was carried out by Hackney Council between November 2016 and July 2017. Asked whether they think Hackney schools should be non-denominational, 73% of respondents ‘strongly agreed’, and a further 11% ‘slightly agreed’. The next largest group was those who ‘neither agree nor disagree’ on 9%. Just 7% of respondents either ‘slightly disagreed’ or ‘strongly disagreed’ with the proposal.
Significantly, the report notes that ‘there does not appear to be any correlation between those who identified as having a faith and not supporting the non-denominational approach to education.’
These findings reflect similar polls on the issue of faith schools and religious selection from previous years. In 2016, a poll found that 72% of the public are in favour of getting rid of religious selection in state schools entirely. While earlier this year it was revealed that 80% of the population opposed the Government’s plans to allow religious free schools to select all of their pupils on the grounds of religion, scrapping existing rules that restrict such selection to half of a schools places. Interestingly, 79% of Anglican respondents and 67% of Catholic respondents to this poll also agreed that religious selection should be limited in state-funded schools, highlighting the disparity between the views of the religious lobby and the views of those it claims to represent.
Hackney Council’s report also identified significant concern about the problem of unregistered religious schools in the borough. To tackle the issue, a strong majority (77%) of local residents are in support of compulsory registration of home-schooled children, while just 5% are against the proposals.
Humanists UK Education Campaigns Manager Jay Harman commented, ‘The support for open, integrated, and secular schools Hackney is overwhelming, but it is not surprising. Every time the public is polled on the issue of faith schools and religiously selective admission arrangements it expresses its collective distaste for an education system that discriminates against and segregates children by the religion or beliefs of their parents.
‘Hackney is one of the most diverse local authorities in the country, and the appetite among local residents to integrate with those from different backgrounds, and with different beliefs, must not be ignored. The Government would do well to consider the results of this survey in its deliberations around the 50% cap, and on its policy towards establishing new faith schools more generally.’
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For further comment or information please contact Humanists UK Education Campaigns Manager Jay Harman on jay@humanists.uk.
Read more information about Humanists UK’s campaign work on fair school admissions: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/schools-and-education/faith-schools/fair-admissions-campaign/
At Humanists UK, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our work brings non-religious people together to develop their own views, helping people be happier and more fulfilled in the one life we have. Through our ceremonies, education services, and community and campaigning work, we strive to create a fair and equal society for all.
Humanists UK recently changed its name from the British Humanist Association: https://humanists.uk/2017/05/22/bha-becomes-humanists-uk/