Government commits to expansion of faith schools

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have pledged to work with faith groups to increase the number of faith schools.

In its coalition agreement yesterday, the Government said it would “work with faith groups to enable more faith schools”, although it stressed that it would “facilitate inclusive admissions policies in as many [faith] schools as possible”.

The plans will be seen as a welcome move by Christians who have had to defend faith schools against humanists who they are divisive and discriminatory.

The Government’s commitment was criticised by Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association.

He said: “If the government is serious about ‘inclusiveness’ and a fair school system then it needs to rule out religious discrimination in admissions in all new schools and academies completely, and begin immediately to phase out discrimination in existing faith schools in the state sector.”

The coalition agreement saw a number of policies axed by both parties, while others were kept in the document hailed by Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as a “historic document”.

As part of the deal, the Lib Dems are able to keep their promise to invest more money in pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, while the Tories’ promise to give more powers to parents and independent organisations to start up their own schools remains intact.

The agreement also upholds the Tory pledge to give schools greater control over the curriculum.