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Group says faith schools hurting communities

30/08/2008

A campaign group consisting of religious leaders and teachers has called for an end to the government's plans to open faith schools.

Pressure group Accord said the further opening of schools, which can be run by religious organisations, could harm community relations and prevent access to the best schools.

In comments cited by the BBC, the group's chairman, Rabbi Jonathan Romain, said: "Our aim is for every single school to welcome children from all backgrounds. It is a simple goal, strongly supported by the public, educationalists and students."

Some faith schools receive more applications than they have places available and are often criticised for preferring students from their own faith in such situations.

A supporter of accord, Reverend Iain McDonald, minister of Southernhay United Reformed Church in Exeter, said such admission practices encouraged parents to be hypocritical in order to get their children admitted to the best schools.

He said: "There are those who attend church in order that their children qualify for admission to a particular school and never set foot in the church again after the children have been accepted."

Accord, which is for equal access to schools for pupils regardless of factors such as religion and wealth, states the process of picking students on the basis of criteria was not in line with the goal of a multi-cultural society.

Children's minister Kevin Brennan said faith schools were successful and their promotion was a decision made by local councils.

He told the BBC: "Parents should be able to choose the type of education and ethos they want for their children. The bottom line is that faith schools are successful, thriving, popular and here to stay.

"It is down to locally accountable councils and communities themselves, not some campaign group, to decide what sort of schools they should have," he added.