Following a manifesto pledge to open 500 new free schools by 2020 made earlier this year, Prime Minister David Cameron has today announced the latest set of Free Schools to be given approval to open from September 2016 and beyond. The list includes two new ‘faith’ schools. The British Humanist Association (BHA) has once again reiterated its concern over the continued approval of ‘faith’ schools as part of the Free School programme.
In total, 18 new schools have been given approval to open, one from September 2016 and the rest from September 2017. The two new religious schools are Herts International Christian School, an all-through school in Hertfordshire which will select 50% of pupils based on church attendance, and Yavneh Primary School, a Jewish school also in Hertfordshire affiliated to a pre-existing, fully selective Jewish secondary academy.
Reacting to the announcement, BHA Faith Schools Campaigner Jay Harman said: ‘Back in July the Prime Minister gave a speech in Birmingham claiming that we needed more integration in our education system, not less, and yet today, just over two months later, he’s announced the approval of more schools that will define and divide children on the basis of their parents’ religion or belief. This is completely counter-intuitive. Schools should be open to everyone, regardless of what they believe, and children of all backgrounds should be educated side by side. If the Government continues to chart this course with its planned 500 new Free Schools, the picture of segregation in our schools will look an awful lot worse than it is now come 2020.’
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For further comment or information, please contact BHA Faith Schools and Education Campaigner Jay Harman at jay@humanists.uk or on 020 7324 3078.
See a full list of proposed and approved Free Schools: https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/List-of-proposed-Free-Schools.xlsx
Read more about the BHA’s campaigns work on ‘faith’ schools: http://humanists.uk/campaigns/schools-and-education/faith-schools/
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.