Christian Values Cause Switch from Secular to Anglicanism Schools

Parents' demands for Christian values and better discipline for their children have seen record numbers of secondary schools converting into Church of England Schools. Since 2002, eleven previously secular schools have become or are becoming Church schools, and the list of converting schools includes: Eastbourne Comprehensive in Darlington; Summerbee School, in Bournemouth; and Whitburn Comprehensive, in Durham.

This shift shows the growing eagerness for faith in schools, as parents see them as well run establishments with good academic records. Recent statistics show that on average, Anglican secondary schools get 12% higher GCSE scores than normal comprehensives.

Wyvern College, in Salisbury, Wiltshire has boasted a steep rise in admissions since it joined the Church of England last year. Most parents with children at the school were not actually churchgoers themselves, but still supported the switch.

Peter Smith, a business analyst whose son Harry attends the school, was one of the parents who backed the change. The 62-year-old, who described himself as a practising Christian said, "I felt that the ethical element has been disappearing from schools over the last 20 or 30 years. Although parents have to give ethical sense to their children, I think it should also be supported by the school. Harry is now 15 and I think the school has improved in every sense since he started, in results, behaviour and ethos."

Wyvern does not demand religious observance, and during prayers pupils can join in or listen silently. Assemblies however, have a definite Christian character and the school is expanding its Religious Education department.

More than 50% of boys at Wyvern achieved five good GCSEs in 2003, well above the average for similar schools and up from 36% achieved in 1999.

Mrs Seddon, a teacher at Wyvern said, "We are not about converting pupils, that is not the point, but if every boy who comes though our hands keeps an open mind, then we will have achieved something. We want our boys to have respect and empathy for others."
The Church is keen to open more schools to address the great disproportion between the number of Church primary schools (4,500 approx.) and Church secondary schools (197). It hopes to establish more than 100 new Church schools by 2007.