The future of education (if any)

[Alan H]

Latest post of the previous page:

BHA responds to consultation on ‘British values’

August 4th, 2014

The British Humanist Association (BHA) has today responded to the Government’s consultation on proposed new independent school standards. The standards, which all Academies, Free Schools and private schools will be required to follow, include requiring schools to ‘actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs’. Previously schools merely had to ‘encourage respect for’ those values. The BHA has broadly welcomed the changes.

In its response, the BHA has said the following:

• On British values, ‘none of the values listed are uniquely British. We are aware that when these proposals were first introduced, Michael Gove said that would be a misreading of them to conclude that the implication is that they are uniquely British. But nonetheless there is a lot of public debate and confusion over this point and we think the new regulations might be clearer if the word “British” was removed or used in a way that removes the possessive adjective, for example if “British values” is changed to “values of modern Britain”.’
• On extremism, the BHA has welcomed the above-listed values being extended and strengthened throughout the standards, but is concerned about the requirement to respect/appreciate cultures, not individuals who belong to different cultures.
• On equalities, there are references to schools being required to follow the Equality Act 2010 throughout, which means that if an independent school breaks the Act, then this would no longer be up to the Courts to enforce but can be regulated by the Department for Education. The BHA has welcomed this as a significant step towards ensuring equality. However, the BHA regrets that ‘support for equality of opportunity for all’, which is in the list of values Academies and Free Schools must follow, is not in the list for private schools.
• On pseudoscience, the BHA has called for more to be done to prevent independent schools from teaching pseudoscientific ideas as scientifically valid – either through a change in the standards or through changes to Ofsted’s inspection framework.

In the last few months the BHA has also responded to consultations on barring extremists from working in schools, tightening up the rules around independent inspectorates (such as the Bridge Schools Inspectorate, which inspects Christian Schools’ Trust and Association of Muslim Schools schools, and the School Inspection Service, which inspects Exclusive Brethren and Steiner schools), and how the scheme of providing free nursery places is funded.

BHA Faith Schools Campaigner Richy Thompson commented, ‘These changes represent a significant and positive step in the right direction in terms of preventing extremism and ensuring equalities in private schools, Academies and Free Schools. More however must be done to ensure that every young person receives a full, comprehensive and unbiased scientific education, with no school teaching creationism or intelligent design as scientifically valid and yet still achieving good marks in its statutory inspection.’

Notes

For further comment or information, please contact Richy Thompson at [email protected] or on 020 7324 3072.

Read about the consultation: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-new-independent-school-standards

Read the BHA’s response: https://humanism.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Proposed-New-Independent-School-Standards-response-from-the-BHA.pdf

Read more about the BHA’s campaigns work on countering creationism:http://www.humanism.org.uk/campaigns/religion-and-schools/countering-creationism

Read more about the BHA’s campaigns work on ‘faith’ schools: https://humanism.org.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.

[Nick]

As usual, the BHA is talking pretty good sense. I think we all ought to be careful about using "equality" and "extremism". First of all, "equality" is sometimes incompatible with freedom, and as an atheist, I myself am likely to be called an extremist! Grrr!!!

[Alan H]

Leading public figures, religious and party political groups, clergy, and BHA call for review of place of religion in schools

August 14th, 2014

In a letter published in today’s Telegraph, 38 public figures, religious and party political groups, and clergy have joined the British Humanist Association (BHA) in calling for a review of the place of religion in state schools.

The letter has been signed by both the Liberal Democrat Education Association and Socialist Educational Association; cohesion groups the Institute of Community Cohesion (iCoCo) Foundation and Quilliam; religious groups British Muslims for Secular Democracy, Ekklesia and the Unitarians; and the Accord Coalition. It has also been signed by 28 individuals, including Jim Al-Khalili, AC Grayling and Alice Roberts, two former Department for Education ministers, and eight members of the clergy.

The letter reads:

The findings of the various reports into Birmingham schools are highly disturbing. They found schools providing pupils with an education that narrows horizons, reinforces a cultural and religious identity to the exclusion and disparagement of others, and fails to prepare them for flourishing in a diverse society. There is wide consensus that state funded schools should provide a broad syllabus and promote mutual respect, but had the schools in question been designated as religious many of the practices criticised in these reports would have been permissible.

Meanwhile the Bishop of Oxford and the National Governors’ Association have called for an end to compulsory worship in schools that are not faith based. In practice, Religious Education has become increasingly diverse and inclusive of all faiths and none, but in law has remained essentially unchanged since 1988.

As a society we must treat religion and belief in schools in a way that is fair, inclusive and sustainable. Yet there has been no overarching review of the place of religion in schools since the 1944 Education Act, which marks its 70th anniversary this month. We call upon the Government to commission an inquiry into the place of religion and belief in schools so that a consensus may be forged about this pressing social issue.

Schools’ impact upon the cohesiveness of society can be profound. If fairness, mutual understanding and respect are important, then we must consider schools’ contribution in these areas. Future generations will not thank us if we do not show leadership and instead leave them with an education system that is insular and divisive.

BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson commented, ‘While we continue to have so many Christian and Jewish schools, offering up an “us vs them” mentality in education, it is not at all surprising that some others will want to have Muslim, Hindu and Sikh schools. Either we provide them, thus causing ever increasing segregation in our education system; or we do not, thus leaving individuals to start to see certain schools as “theirs” even when they are not legally designated as religious, leading to problems like those we have recently experienced.

‘There is another way forward for our society. We can acknowledge that the decades-old principles governing the place of beliefs in state schools are no longer fit for contemporary society, get completely away from the whole notion of different schools belonging to different religious communities, and build a better, more inclusive future for our children.’

Notes

For further comment or information, please contact Richy Thompson at [email protected] or on 0781 55 89 636.

The full list of signatories is as follows:

• Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain MBE, Chair, Accord Coalition for Inclusive Education
• Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, British Humanist Association
• Tehmina Kazi, Director, British Muslims for Secular Democracy
• Jonathan Bartley and Simon Barrow, Co-Directors, Ekklesia
• Professor Clyde Chitty, Editor of the education journal FORUM
• Professor Ted Cantle CBE, Chair, Institute of Community Cohesion (iCoCo) Foundation
• James Kempton, Chair, Liberal Democrat Education Association
• Maajid Nawaz, Co-Founder & Chairman of Quilliam
• John Bolt, General Secretary, Socialist Educational Association
• Derek McAuley, Chief Officer, Unitarians
• Professor Jim Al-Khalili, theoretical physicist, author and science broadcaster
• Dr Julian Baggini, philosopher and writer
• Professor Simon Blackburn, philosopher
• Dr Susan Blackmore, academic and broadcaster on psychology
• Baroness Tessa Blackstone, Minister for Education (1997-2001)
• Professor Sir Colin Blakemore, neurobiologist
• Peter Cave, philosopher
• Revd Jeremy Chadd (CofE)
• Revd Marie Dove (Methodist)
• Baroness Flather of Windsor and Maidenhead
• Professor Chris French, psychologist
• Professor Anthony Grayling, philosopher and author
• Lord Howarth of Newport, Department for Education Minister (1989-1992 and 1997-1998)
• Revd Richard Jones (CofE)
• Sir Harold Kroto, Nobel Prize winning chemist
• Revd Iain McDonald (URC)
• Brian Pearce, former Chair of the Buddhist Council of Wales
• Professor Alice Roberts, anatomist and broadcaster
• Revd Professor Christopher Rowland (CofE)
• Dr Adam Rutherford, geneticist, author and broadcaster
• Dr Simon Singh, mathematical and scientific author and broadcaster
• Joan Smith, novelist and journalist
• Professor Lord Smith of Clifton, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster (1991-1999)
• Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner
• Revd Stephen Terry (CofE)
• Janet Whitaker, Baroness Whitaker
• Zoe Williams, journalist
• Revd Simon Wilson (CofE)

Read more about the BHA’s campaigns work on ‘faith’ schools: https://humanism.org.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.

[Alan H]

How, in 21st Century Britain, is even an application for this contemplated?

Church linked to witchcraft row applies to open UK school

A spokesperson for the DfE said: "We have received an application from the Kingdom Heritage Model School in Dartford to open and we are aware that concerns have been raised. All independent schools must meet stringent standards before they are registered. These include tough rules on welfare and safeguarding.

But not, it seems, the promotion of medieval and dangerous notions.

[Nick]

How, in 21st Century Britain, is even an application for this contemplated?

Church linked to witchcraft row applies to open UK school

A spokesperson for the DfE said: "We have received an application from the Kingdom Heritage Model School in Dartford to open and we are aware that concerns have been raised. All independent schools must meet stringent standards before they are registered. These include tough rules on welfare and safeguarding.

But not, it seems, the promotion of medieval and dangerous notions.

That would include christianity, Alan, so quite difficult to include explicitly. And to be fair(er) to the department, they were responding to the NSS, which appealed in terms of welfare and safeguarding. It is best to appeal along the lines of the legislation, rather than to try to overthrow the legislation, to alter the outcome in any one instance. Though laudable, this is a different target, requiring different strategies.

[Alan H]

How, in 21st Century Britain, is even an application for this contemplated?

Church linked to witchcraft row applies to open UK school

A spokesperson for the DfE said: "We have received an application from the Kingdom Heritage Model School in Dartford to open and we are aware that concerns have been raised. All independent schools must meet stringent standards before they are registered. These include tough rules on welfare and safeguarding.

But not, it seems, the promotion of medieval and dangerous notions.

That would include christianity, Alan, so quite difficult to include explicitly.

No, quite easily - if the political will was there. Just get rid of the lot of them.

And to be fair(er) to the department, they were responding to the NSS, which appealed in terms of welfare and safeguarding. It is best to appeal along the lines of the legislation, rather than to try to overthrow the legislation, to alter the outcome in any one instance. Though laudable, this is a different target, requiring different strategies.

The legislation needs to be overthrown.

[Alan H]

The Choice in Education - 70 Years of the Butler Settlement – Speech by Tristram Hunt MP

Besides, Nicky Morgan has openly declared herself to be a continuity Gove Minister.

We have an auto-pilot Education Secretary determined to cement the damaging reforms of recent years.

The future she offers is five more years of failing free schools, unqualified teachers damaging standards, broken primary school promises and fewer opportunities for the forgotten fifty per cent.

Labour will end the Free School programme and instead focus spending on areas in need of extra school places.

[Dave B]

It should probably have dawned on me a long time ago - may have done so but simply did not rise to the priority it deserves - but I now realise just what modern kids face compared with what I did.

Back in the 50s most kids looked forward to the shop floor, the shop/hairdressers or a low level office job. The volume of learning was not great, basic maths and English were enough to get 90% of us through. Now there are so many skills needed, not just the Internet but increasingly the ability to communicate effectively - something we were never taught as a subject, writing an essay was about the closest.

A programme on the radio this afternoon talked of teaching one child how to communicate instructions to another to build a Leggo figure from a plan - presumably the "builder" could not see the plan. Add this to Ken Robinson's ideas about teaching that other essential skill, creativity, and where is the room for the government's ideas about teaching rote fact about history etc.?

I could despair, until I realise there are teachers like my friend's niece who manage to bend the syllabus to fit the lids rather than the other way round.

[Alan H]

Half of schools in UK’s biggest academy chain are failing pupils

The country’s biggest academy chain has been censured by inspectors for failing pupils, prompting the Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to renew his demand to be allowed to inspect all chains.

[Alan H]

Government publishes details of latest Free School applicants – prior to deciding which to back to open

The 29 religious proposals include:

Four applications for Church of England schools (in Ealing, Harrow, Hertfordshire and Stockton-on-Tees)
Ten other applications for Christian schools (in Croydon, Greenwich, Harrow, Hertfordshire, Southampton, Hammersmith and Fulham, Richmond upon Thames, Reading, Kent and Merton)
Three applications for Muslim schools (in Manchester, Enfield and Leicester)
Two applications for Jewish ethos special schools (in Salford and Barnet)
Two applications for Sikh schools (in Redbridge and Wolverhampton)
Two applications for Hindu schools (in Redbridge and Croydon)
Two applications for Steiner schools (in East Sussex and Devon)
Four applications for schools aligned with Indian gurus – three where the religion is listed as ‘Sri Aurobindo And The Mother‘s Children’, and one based on from the Sathya Sai Baba movement.
26 of the 77 mainstream proposals are religious. The names of successful applicants is not expected to be known until next month.

When will this madness end?

[Dave B]

Unfortunately probably not until enough of these schools fail enough children in a gross enough way for the, so-called, authorities to notice.

[Alan H]

Unfortunately probably not until enough of these schools fail enough children in a gross enough way for the, so-called, authorities to notice.

Sadly, you are probably correct.

[coffee]

I like to see humanist schools, I want to see how humanists solve problem in schools because I seen a lot of critcism came from humanist (whether rightly or not), I want to see humanist intellectual at works in solving problems. I appreciate/respect more when I see humanists taking on and solvings problems in schools. I like the idea humanist school passing on humanists values. Birds of a feather flock together.

[Altfish]

I like to see humanist schools, I want to see how humanists solve problem in schools because I seen a lot of critcism came from humanist (whether rightly or not), I want to see humanist intellectual at works in solving problems. I appreciate/respect more when I see humanists taking on and solvings problems in schools. I like the idea humanist school passing on humanists values. Birds of a feather flock together.

I don't that would be much different from a secular school which is what ALL schools should be. Teach about religions but don't teach a religion.

[Alan H]

I like to see humanist schools, I want to see how humanists solve problem in schools because I seen a lot of critcism came from humanist (whether rightly or not), I want to see humanist intellectual at works in solving problems. I appreciate/respect more when I see humanists taking on and solvings problems in schools. I like the idea humanist school passing on humanists values. Birds of a feather flock together.

I don't that would be much different from a secular school which is what ALL schools should be. Teach about religions but don't teach a religion.

Agreed.

[Alan H]

Anger as non-Catholics forced off the school bus

Parents in Flintshire have complained of religious discrimination after it emerged that non-Catholics wouldn't be permitted to use a bus provided by the local authority to a Catholic faith school.
This term sees the implementation of Flintshire Council's new policy of only providing free bus passes to faith schools where parents can prove that pupils are attending the school for religious reasons with evidence such as baptism certificates or a note from a priest.

[Dave B]

"morally repugnant" is a pretty fair description I think -especially if applied to the people who thought this one up!

[Altfish]

You couldn't invent a story as daft as that!! And yet they still bleat that Christians are persecuted in this country.

[Alan H]

You couldn't invent a story as daft as that!! And yet they still bleat that Christians are persecuted in this country.

The real question is how no one who agreed this policy saw this coming...

[Dave B]

You couldn't invent a story as daft as that!! And yet they still bleat that Christians are persecuted in this country.

The real question is how no one who agreed this policy saw this coming...

In my experience around here causing unexpected consequences - that are glaringly obvious to outsiders - is a common factor in local government. I think it is a problem with "group think", a small group of nodding heads (bit like the dogs in car rear windows) get themselves into a situation where mutual positive feedback makes idiocy seem like genius after a few reiterations.

The Yanks are past masters at this but British politicians are catching up fast.

[Nick]

Anger as non-Catholics forced off the school bus

Parents in Flintshire have complained of religious discrimination after it emerged that non-Catholics wouldn't be permitted to use a bus provided by the local authority to a Catholic faith school.
This term sees the implementation of Flintshire Council's new policy of only providing free bus passes to faith schools where parents can prove that pupils are attending the school for religious reasons with evidence such as baptism certificates or a note from a priest.

I share your anger at this appalling discrimination.

Undertaken by a Labour council. Can't think why you missed that out......