Pembrokeshire County Council has voted to change a Church in Wales into a community school without a religious character, a change that would better reflect the beliefs of local families and make sure education is equally inclusive for everyone, regardless of religion or belief.
Wales Humanists welcomes this move, which would remove church status from Cilgerran Voluntary Controlled Primary School. The proposal has prompted legal action from the Church in Wales and a threat to ‘not make the school site available for a successor community school’. Faith schools are often located on church land, but buildings are developed and maintained by local councils using taxpayer funds. The council has said it hopes to resolve the land ownership and occupation rights before any change is implemented. The school is currently 25% under capacity and the long-term viability needs to be the priority.
Wales Humanists has written to Pembrokeshire County Council expressing its support for the proposal on behalf of the area’s substantial non-religious community.
According to the 2021 Census, almost half of people in Pembrokeshire identified as having no religion. Across Wales as a whole, the number of people identifying as having no religion increased dramatically between 2011 and 2021, reflecting a continuing shift in the beliefs of Welsh society. The number of non-religious people increased significantly among people aged under 74
Kathy Riddick, Campaigns and Policy Manager for Wales Humanists, said:
‘Schools should exist to serve their whole community. Where publicly funded schools no longer reflect the beliefs of the communities they serve, it is entirely appropriate for local authorities to consider whether they should continue to have a religious character.
‘The question is whether publicly funded schools should continue to be legally designated as belonging to one particular religion when they serve increasingly diverse communities. We believe education should be equally welcoming to every child, regardless of their religion or belief, and call on local authorities across Wales to keep the religious character of maintained schools under review so that school organisation reflects local demographics and the needs of modern communities.’
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For further comment or information, media should contact Wales Humanists Campaigns and Policy Manager Kathy Riddick at kathy@humanists.uk or phone 029 2168 3532.
Read more about our work on faith schools
Read our statement from when the overall Census religion results were released.
Wales Humanists is part of Humanists UK. Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.