Tag: schools

Bishop of Worcester says crisis in school funding causing stress for staff and impacting children with special educational needs

On 29th November 2018 Baroness Morris of Yardley led a debate in the Lords on the motion “That this House takes note of the impact on schools of Her Majesty’s Government’s approach to school funding.” The Bishop of Worcester, Rt Revd John Inge, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Morris of Yardley, for securing this important debate on school funding and for her impassioned and powerful introduction to it. I fear that she is right that there is a crisis in school funding. Head teachers in the diocese of Worcester speak of the stress they are experiencing due to funding worries; of not sleeping due to such worries, which impacts negatively on all they are trying to do; of a sense of letting down children with significant needs; and of a feeling that they have nowhere to turn to be truly heard. One head of a school who has been asked to double its numbers has not been provided with sufficient funding to do so, throwing his school into financial insecurity and causing immense stress. Continue reading “Bishop of Worcester says crisis in school funding causing stress for staff and impacting children with special educational needs”

Bishop of Chichester calls for more investment in music education in schools

On 18th October 2018 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Black of Brentwood “that this House takes note of the state of music education in schools.” The Bishop of Chichester, Rt Revd Martin Warner, spoke in the debate:

Chichester190718The Lord Bishop of Chichester: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Black, for his magnificent introduction to this debate, and for the opportunity for us to remind ourselves of the vital importance of music and the arts generally to the creative industries and the life of our nation.

The decline in funding for music in schools, and in its take-up at GCSE and A-level, has already been identified and the crisis we now face has been rehearsed. I add my voice to those who have called for a thorough review, and possibly the abolition of the EBacc as a means of addressing the situation. Continue reading “Bishop of Chichester calls for more investment in music education in schools”

Bishop of Ely calls for opportunity for all to prosper in careers education debate.

On the 6th September 2018 the House of Lords debated ‘the case for high-quality careers education and advice to be available to all students’. The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely, spoke in the debate about the need for ‘the fullest possible rolling out’ of the Government’s careers strategy.Ely 2

The Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, I share with the noble Baroness, Lady Bull, whose wisdom I have been delighted to receive this afternoon, the fact of belonging to a family where there was no prior history of higher education. The only careers advice that I received at school as a working-class boy from south London was to read extra Latin in the sixth form—and look what happened. Continue reading “Bishop of Ely calls for opportunity for all to prosper in careers education debate.”

Church Commissioner Questions: ordinations, church schools, modern slavery, metal theft, inter-faith relations, London churches

On 12th July 2018 Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered questions from MPs on ordination numbers, church schools, modern slavery, metal theft, inter-faith relations and growth of the church in London. A full transcript is below: Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions: ordinations, church schools, modern slavery, metal theft, inter-faith relations, London churches”

Bishop of Carlisle asks about SEN funding for small schools

Carlisle141217bOn 4th June 2018 Lord Storey  asked Her Majesty’s Government “what assessment they have made of the impact of education, health and care plans on children with special educational needs.” The Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Revd James Newcome, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of Carlisle: My Lords, in Cumbria where I live, a huge proportion of schools are classified as small and are often very small. Their funding, especially for children with special educational needs, is greatly limited by their ability to access economies of scale. Does the Minister agree that in smaller schools educational outcomes can at present be disproportionately affected by current funding models? Continue reading “Bishop of Carlisle asks about SEN funding for small schools”

Church Commissioner questions: religious freedom, schools, recycling, thefts from churches

On 26th April 2018, questions were put in the House of Commons to Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, representing the Church Commissioners. Dame Caroline was asked by MPs about freedom of religion in the Commonwealth, recycling, rural schools, out of school education settings and thefts from churches. A full transcript is below.

The right hon Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked— Continue reading “Church Commissioner questions: religious freedom, schools, recycling, thefts from churches”

Bishop of Ely questions Government about teacher recruitment in rural areas

Ely 2On the 12th April the Bishop of Ely, the Rt Revd Stephen Conway received a written answer to his question about teacher recruitment in rural areas.

 

Continue reading “Bishop of Ely questions Government about teacher recruitment in rural areas”