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Education

Religious education in maintained schools

In England schools are either ‘maintained’ (i.e. state) schools or independent (confusingly, they are often called ‘public schools’). The churches were the main provider of education for many (...)

In England schools are either ‘maintained’ (i.e. state) schools or independent (confusingly, they are often called ‘public schools’). The churches were the main provider of education for many centuries, and many schools continue to have a church affiliation: within the category of maintained schools they are ‘voluntary controlled’ or ‘voluntary aided’ schools. In the latter group, the church accepts responsibility for 15 per cent of the cost of any building works and has in return a stronger position on the school’s board of managers.

In every maintained school the ‘basic curriculum’ includes religious education for all pupils and a National Curriculum comprising a range of other subjects; religious education thus enjoys a special status. England has since 1870 had non-denominational religious education in its State schools. The construction of local ‘agreed syllabuses’ is governed by a complex procedure first introduced in 1944. A conference is convened made up of four committees, each of which must consent to the syllabus. The committees represent:

 the Church of England;
 such Christian and other religious denominations as reflect the principal religious traditions of the area;
 teachers’ associations;
 the local educational authority.

This procedure gives the Church of England representatives the right of veto, but they cannot insist on any element in the syllabus unacceptable to the other groups, and cannot obtain anything approaching ‘confessional’ religious teaching. Every agreed syllabus must reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian whilst taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain.

The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 contains provisions as to religious worship in maintained schools. All pupils must take part in an act of collective worship on each school day. It must be “wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character”, but not distinctive of any particular denomination. Not every act of worship need be Christian, as the social circum stances of some areas mean that a majority of pupils may be from other faiths; but a majority of acts of worship in any term must be.

For more information, see the article "Religion in public education - United Kingdom" of David McCLean in Gerhard Robbers (Hrsg.), Religion in Public Education – La religion dans l’éducation publique, European Consortium for Church and State Research, Trier, 2011, 503-520.

D 11 September 2012    ADavid McClean

Independent schools

Churches are of course free to establish their own independent schools, and can use denominational forms of worship and conduct religious education in accordance with their own requirements. In (...)

Churches are of course free to establish their own independent schools, and can use denominational forms of worship and conduct religious education in accordance with their own requirements. In fact very many church schools are in effect provided jointly by the state and the church, the state paying running costs and most of the building costs; these are subject to the relevant provisions of the Act. The churches have also made a major contribution to the training of teachers through church Colleges of Education. These are now reduced in number by a process of amalgamation (sometimes with non-church colleges) but offer a range of higher education courses often in association with a university.

D 11 September 2012    ADavid McClean

Theological faculties and colleges

There are now no religious tests for entry into any university. There are however a number of posts in certain theology faculties, notably in Oxford and Durham, which are held with canonries of (...)

There are now no religious tests for entry into any university. There are however a number of posts in certain theology faculties, notably in Oxford and Durham, which are held with canonries of a Church of England cathedral church and so are effectively restricted to Anglican priests. In other universities, the staff of theological faculties or departments are appointed under the usual university procedures with no church involvement; and indeed no religious allegiance is required.

Theological colleges provide ministerial training and, in some cases, other theological education (for example, distance learning programmes for lay students). Typically, a theological college is owned by a trust, but is subject to inspection by the church authorities which decide at which colleges clergy training may take place and the. number of places to be taken up in this way. Increasingly, colleges are entering into relationships with local universities. The colleges remain independent (and most of the students receive no grant from state funds) but the relevant University may admit college students to its degree courses.

D 11 September 2012    ADavid McClean

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