More Church of England Secondary Schools?

Many people will have read reports in their newspapers of the Dearing Report “The Way Ahead: Church of England Schools in the New Millennium”.  While some papers gave a fair summary of the document others were not quite so accurate. The following is a summary of the main recommendations on the topic of increased provision, the area on which most reporters concentrated. 

The Church should aim to increase church secondary school places, whether by the expansion of existing schools or through additional church schools (including transfers from the community sector), by the equivalent of 100 schools over the next seven to eight years.

In relation to this national objective, each diocese should consider what can be achieved over the next five years, and roll forward its thinking annually by a further year.

In increasing provision the Church should see it as part of its special mission to serve the most disadvantaged in society and children with special educational needs.

The Church should foster an ecumenical approach where this is appropriate.

At primary level, dioceses should aim to increase provision where it is most evidently lacking.

Copies of this report can be purchased from the Resource Centre, price £7.95.  Please contact Ron Upton on 01727 818158.