Tag: church schools

Bishop of Lincoln asks about children’s rights in the education sector

The Bishop of Lincoln asked a question on children’s rights in education on 27th January 2025, during a discussion on government plans to improve children’s wellbeing and opportunities:

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln: My Lords, Article 28 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the fundamental right of all children to a free primary education and access to different forms of secondary education. Noble Lords may know that 1 million children are educated in Church of England schools at the moment, and the Church of England’s vision for education is rooted in a Christian ethos for the common good and the holistic well-being of every child, including those of all faiths and none. The Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools framework, which informs best practice in church schools, has a strong and effective focus on children’s rights in accordance with Article 28 in the UN convention. Will the Minister ensure that the substantial and compelling learnings from church schools can be highlighted and shared within her department’s ongoing review of potential reforms to current accountability measures?

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Church Commissioners Questions: Affordable & Sustainable Housing, Diocesan Support: Interregnums, Educational Attainment: Church Schools, Parish Churches: Funding, Academy Schools, and Support for People in Gaza

On 23rd May 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to questions from MPs in the House of Commons:

Affordable and Sustainable Housing

Selaine Saxby MP (Con, North Devon) asked: Whether the Church of England is taking steps to provide affordable and sustainable housing on its land. (902965)

Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): I can tell my hon. Friend that the Church Commissioners are bringing forward substantial new amounts of housing across England, including affordable homes, in accordance with local planning policy in the areas concerned. Where the commissioners are able to, we also seek to go further— for example, through the use of rural exception sites to provide a higher proportion of affordable housing than the local plan requires.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Affordable & Sustainable Housing, Diocesan Support: Interregnums, Educational Attainment: Church Schools, Parish Churches: Funding, Academy Schools, and Support for People in Gaza”

Church Commissioners Questions: Easter Church Services, Families & Households, Abortion Legislation, Armenian Church in Jerusalem, Sale of Land, and Church Schools

On 18th April 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:

Easter Church Services

Kevin Foster (Con, Torbay): To ask the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent assessment the Church has made of trends in the number of families that attend a church service over the Easter period.

Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): Although we do not yet have confirmed numbers of worshippers for this Easter just gone, our clergy report high attendance, among all ages, at services, which supports the post-pandemic trend of people returning to services on Easter day in person to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Questions: Easter Church Services, Families & Households, Abortion Legislation, Armenian Church in Jerusalem, Sale of Land, and Church Schools”

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Schools, Carbon Emissions, Land Use, Ceremonies, and Service Attendance

On 12th April 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Church Schools: Hendon

Dr Matthew Offord MP (Con, Hendon): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether he has made an assessment of the contribution of church schools in Hendon constituency.

Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): Though the National Church Institutions are not responsible for the operation of individual schools, the Diocese of London has volunteered the following information, which I hope is useful.

Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Questions: Church Schools, Carbon Emissions, Land Use, Ceremonies, and Service Attendance”

Church Commissioners Written Questions: Energy, Religious Freedom, Church Schools, Heritage Buildings

On 15th December 2023, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following written answers to questions from MPs:

Church of England: Energy

Mark Pritchard MP (Con, The Wrekin): To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church will have discussions with the Dioceses of (a) Hereford and (b) Lichfield on support with energy costs.

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Bishop of Durham moves Diocesan Boards of Education Measure

On 22nd April 2021, the Bishop of Durham spoke in support of the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure, asking that the House of Lords approve the measure:

The Lord Bishop of Durham [V]: That this House do direct that, in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919, the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure be presented to Her Majesty for the Royal Assent.

My Lords, the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure updates and replaces the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 1991, which provides the legal framework within which the Church of England’s dioceses engage and work with church schools.

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Church Commissioner Questions: covid-19, mental health, debt advice, youth work, online worship, overseas aid, racism

On 10th September 2020 MPs asked questions of the Church Commissioners, represented by Andrew Selous MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner. A full transcript is below:

The hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—

Covid-19: Mental Health

James Sunderland (Bracknell) (Con): What steps the Church of England is taking to support mental health during the covid-19 outbreak. [905855]

The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Andrew Selous): This is a timely question from my hon. Friend, on World Suicide Prevention Day. The Church’s healthcare chaplains work in both acute and community mental health services. The diocese of Manchester provides mental health wellbeing youth workers, to provide mental health first aid, and the parish of Goudhurst in Kilndown in Kent provides subsidised mental health counselling in 13 schools. Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: covid-19, mental health, debt advice, youth work, online worship, overseas aid, racism”

Church Commissioner Questions: LGBT+ equality, civil partnerships, church buildings, church schools and universities, HS2, Christians in Nigeria

On 6th February 2020 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous MP, answered  questions from MPs in the House of Commons, on behalf of the Church Commissioners.

Questions were asked about LGBT+ equality, civil partnerships, church buildings, church schools and universities, HS2, and Christians in Nigeria.

Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: LGBT+ equality, civil partnerships, church buildings, church schools and universities, HS2, Christians in Nigeria”