Faith leaders are being encouraged to convert more of their
schools to academies – joining hundreds of schools across
the country already benefiting from higher standards after
academy conversion and building on the leading role faith
groups have played in delivering the Government’s education
reforms.
At a round-table of representatives from all major faiths
held on 29 January, the Education Secretary set out the benefits of
becoming an academy school – placing freedom into the hands
of school leaders and helping schools to work together to
achieve more than they can alone.
The Education Secretary also praised the role faith
organisations have had in the Government’s education
reforms since 2010, with more than a quarter of
state-funded faith schools already having academy status
and more than 100 faith free schools open or due to open
soon. The figures reflect an upturn in the pace of academy
conversion within faith groups, with more groups now also
establishing their own multi academy trusts.
The department would also like to see more people from
faith groups choosing to join the thousands of volunteers
already offering their time, energy, skills and expertise
as school governors and trustees.
Mr Hinds said:
The diversity of schools in this country is one our
education system’s most valuable assets, and faith
schools play a pivotal role in that. They have led the
way in embracing our reforms, with innovative free
schools and high performing academies, taking advantage
of the freedom and autonomy those choices provide.
Faith schools make up one-third of the schools in
England. I want to see even more faith schools enjoying
the benefits of academy conversion, with even more faith
groups using the exciting opportunity the free schools
route provides. In doing so, the leaders of these schools
will ensure they are the ones making the right decisions
for their pupils and for their communities, as I firmly
believe they should be.
The meeting followed the news that more than 50% of
children in state-funded schools in England are now taught
in an academy or free school, with standards rising faster
in many sponsored academies than in similar council-run
schools.
Standards in faith schools are also impressive, with last
year’s GCSE data showing faith schools perform better than
their non-faith counterparts, while over half of the top
performing 5% of schools at Key Stage 2, are faith schools.
Representatives from all major faiths attended the meeting,
including individuals from the Church of England, Muslim,
Catholic, Sikh, Jewish and Hindu faiths, and from the
Methodist Church.
They were joined by leaders of high performing faith
multi-academy trusts – Hamid Patel of Star Academy Trust,
Nitesh Gor of Avanti Schools Trust and Dr Brinder Mohan
Singh of Nishkam School Trust.
These trusts are just three examples of faith groups
combining their own ethos and values with the freedom and
autonomy that academies and free schools enjoy, to create
thriving schools providing the education their pupils
deserve.
Director of the Catholic Education Service, Paul Barber,
said:
The Catholic Church has been a longstanding Government
partner in the provision of education, and today’s
meeting highlights the continued strong working
relationship we enjoy with the Department.
Nearly a quarter of all Catholic schools in England are
academies and we welcome the continued support of the
Secretary of State for Catholic dioceses and their
academisation plans.
As the country’s second largest provider of schools, we
remain committed to providing high quality Catholic
education centred around the formation of the whole
child.
