changing ethos of church schools: A survey of teacher attitudes in 1982 and 1996, The

Research in Education, May 2001 by Francis, Leslie J, Grindle, Zoe

The Church of England played a crucial role in establishing a national network of schools in England and Wales long before the Education Act 1870 established the machinery for building non-denominational schools (Cruickshank, 1963; Murphy, 1971). The character of those schools was shaped to a large extent by the aims of the National Society, established in 18 11, `for the education of the children of the poor in the principles of the established Church'. As a direct consequence of this historical initiative, the Anglican Church in England and Wales continues to have the privilege and responsibility of providing around 12 per cent of all school places within the State-maintained sector. The Anglican presence is considerably stronger in the primary sector than in the secondary sector, stronger in England than in Wales, and stronger in rural areas than in more recently developed urban and suburban areas (Francis, 1987). According to figures provided by the Department for Education and Employment, at January 1995 4,615 primary schools (including middle schools deemed primary) and 204 secondary schools (including middle schools deemed secondary) belonged to the Church of England. According to figures provided by the Welsh Office, at January 1995 a further 180 primary and five secondary schools in Wales also belonged to the Anglican Church.

At the time of the Education Act 1944 the proportion of schools in Anglican hands was considerably higher. At that stage Church investment in schools had a significant influence on the shape of educational reconstruction embodied in the Act. As indicated by Lord Butler's biography, the Church school question was a matter of political delicacy as well as of religious interest (Butler, 1971). The influence of the Church school question on the outcome of the Education Act 1944 is seen in two particular ways.

First, the 1994 Act makes provision for two types of Church school. One type, voluntary controlled status, absolved the Church from on-going financial responsibility for the maintenance of the school, although the Church retained the right to appoint a minority of governors, provide denominational worship throughout the school, offer denominational religious education on parental request, and in schools of more than two teachers appoint `reserved teachers' competent to give denominational religious instruction. In other words, controlled status gave the Churches reduced rights, but at no on-going financial cost. The other type, voluntary aided status, required the Churches to provide 50 per cent of capital expenses in return for greater rights, including the appointment of the majority of governors and the provision of denominational instruction as well as denominational worship throughout the school. All Church schools were to become controlled, unless the governing body opted for aided status. All but two Roman Catholic schools became aided. Many Church of England schools accepted controlled status.

Second, in return for some loss of influence in Church schools, the Churches gained the status of religious education becoming a compulsory subject throughout the State-maintained sector, subject to a conscience clause. Moreover, through the mechanism of locally agreed syllabuses of religious education, the Churches were given a significant voice in what should be taught in religious education in county schools (Dent, 1947).

When the Education Reform Act 1988 introduced the National Curriculum it left the religious compromise of the 1944 Act undisturbed. Religious education, while part of the basic curriculum, was excluded from the National Curriculum. The Church's involvement in determining the locally agreed syllabus of religious education was protected (Cox and Cairns, 1989). Although the Church's financial contribution to aided schools has been gradually reduced from 50 per cent in 1944 to 25 per cent in 1959, 20 per cent in 1967 and 15 per cent in 1974, the twin provision for aided and controlled schools has remained basically unchanged. The introduction of grant-maintained status has given both aided and controlled schools the opportunity to opt out of local authority control but in so doing to maintain the religious provision of their previous status.

The protection of Church schools within the State-maintained sector between 1944 and the present day has not gone unchallenged. Challenges have come from four main sources. One challenge has come from educational philosophers like Paul Hirst (1972, 1981) who have questioned the legitimacy of religious principles determining educational practice. A second challenge has come from concern for integration within a multicultural society, as exemplified by the Swann report (1985), Education forAll. A third challenge has come from an analysis of the implications of denominational schooling for equality of educational opportunity, as exemplified by the discussion document The Dual System of Voluntary and County Schools issued by the Socialist Education Association (1981). A fourth challenge has come from within the Churches themselves, questioning whether investment in the State-maintained sector of schooling gives the best return for the Church's educational budget, as exemplified by the report of the Partners in Mission Consultation (1981), To a Rebellious House?