New research capturing the views of parents on the coalition government’s education reform programme reveals opposition to Academy schools having selective admissions policies as well as a lack of interest in establishing free schools.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has commented that the research provides further evidence that discriminatory selection on the grounds of religion allowed by state-maintained, religious Academies, is out of step with parents’ wishes.
Parents expressed concerns over many areas of education policy including schools being able to transfer to academies and the ability of parents to establish free schools. However, the ability for schools to have selective admissions policies was particularly rejected. When asked whether academies should be able to select in their admissions, over half of parents did not support this.
However, free schools with a religious character are able to select up to half of their pupils on the basis of their religion and many ‘faith’ schools that convert to become Academies with a religious character will be able to select all of their students on the basis of religion.
Education Campaigns Officer Jenny Pennington commented: ‘Government policy which allows wide religious and effectively socio-economic discrimination in admissions by ‘faith’ schools, including religious Academies and free schools, is clearly out of step with what parents want. This study highlights the strength of feeling among parents for inclusive school admissions that would allow all students access to good quality education’
The study also found that just 11% of parents would like to set up their own free schools.
Ms Pennington continued, ‘The study also highlights that the demand to set up schools comes not from parents but from other interest groups, a disproportionate number of whom are religious groups. Government figures released last week show that over one-third of groups that have applied to establish a free school are from religious groups. Religious free schools are able to discriminate in admissions and employment. They can also opt out of the national curriculum and choose not to provide even the most basic sex education in biology or choose to teach creationism in science.’
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For further information please contact Jenny Pennington on 020 7462 4993
The study carried out by the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPT) conducted telephone interviews with 460 demographically representative parents of children in state education. It is able to view here.