Tag: schools

Bishop of Norwich speaks on educational selection and grammar schools

norwich121016bOn 13th October 2016 Baroness Andrews led a debate in the House of Lords “that this House takes note of the Government’s proposals for the extension of grammar schools and selection in education”. The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham James spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Andrews, for securing this debate. The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Ely, our lead bishop on education, cannot be in his place today, but I am glad to contribute from these Benches and to hear an excellent maiden speech from the noble Baroness, Lady Vere.

Like many others in your Lordships’ House, I attended a grammar school. I was also the first in my family to receive a university education. At Northampton Grammar School for Boys, as it then was, you imbibed an ethos and culture which simply assumed you would seek university entrance. My grammar school was hierarchical, full of petty rules and almost entirely male—the perfect preparation for a career in the Church of England. Continue reading “Bishop of Norwich speaks on educational selection and grammar schools”

Church Commissioner Questions – October 2016

On 13th October 2016 the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Dame Caroline Spelman MP, answered questions from MPs on school admissions, ecumenical relations, community cohesion, refugees, LGBT pastoral care, Scrooby parish, same sex marriage and cathedral repairs.

Caroline Spelman 1Church Commissioners Continue reading “Church Commissioner Questions – October 2016”

Bishop of St Albans speaks in debate on school admissions

On 8th September 2016, Lord Lucas led a short debate on the question to Her Majesty’s Government: “what plans they have to support parents in navigating schools’ admissions arrangements”. The Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, contributed to the debate. 

StAlbans171115The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am also grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, for bringing this Question to the House for debate. The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Ely normally takes the lead on these matters but he is unable to be here today, so I want to make just a few comments. The subject of admissions is a complex one. As a child’s education is so vital and important, not surprisingly it often leads to impassioned responses. That can be true of the subject of admission to church schools, on which I know that several Members of this House have expressed opinions in the past. Before I turn directly to the topic of faith-based admissions, which your Lordships will not be surprised I wish to address, I would like briefly to set out some points by way of context. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans speaks in debate on school admissions”

Church Commissioner questions: Out of school settings, human trafficking, women bishops, House of Lords, poverty, church toilets

On 7th July 2016 Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons, in her capacity as Second Church Estates Commissioner. Questions were asked on out of school settings, human trafficking, women bishops, bishops in the House of Lords, poverty and church toilets.

Mr Speaker: Order. We come now to questions to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, the right hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), representing the Church Commissioners, and to the right hon. Member for South West Devon—[Interruption.] I mean the hon. Member for South West Devon (Mr Streeter)—it is only a matter of time—representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission.

 

Spelman CCQs June 2015 4Church Commissioners

The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners was asked— Continue reading “Church Commissioner questions: Out of school settings, human trafficking, women bishops, House of Lords, poverty, church toilets”

Queen’s Speech 2016: Bishop of Ely responds on academies, RE, universities and skills

On 19th May 2016 the Bishop of Ely, Rt Revd Stephen Conway, spoke in the first day of debate on the Queen’s Speech. He focused his response on the Government’s proposals for academies, universities and further education.

14.10.16 Bishop of Ely 1The Lord Bishop of Ely:  My Lords, I join the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, in thanking my fellow right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Durham for his speech. I join my right reverend friend in reminding the House that, in particular with children and young people, we are about ensuring their experience of love and the fullness of life. If you like, we are interested in human flourishing and community. That is the prism through which I will look at some of the direct provisions from the gracious Speech and the implications for future policy.

Research done already on the implications of what has been said by Ministers is that academisation will proceed very fully. The think tank CentreForum suggests that only about 3,000 free-standing schools might be left that are not academised in the future. I am concerned that we do not end up with thousands of outstanding schools going it alone. We need to ensure that all strong schools, in MATs or otherwise, support schools that are struggling. There is no way of flourishing that does not take in support for others.

Continue reading “Queen’s Speech 2016: Bishop of Ely responds on academies, RE, universities and skills”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about challenges for rural areas when small schools become academies

On 28th April 2016 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked an oral question in the House of Lords on the challenges facing rural schools in conversion to academy status. The transcript of the answer, his follow-up question and those of other members is below.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the challenges to be faced by small rural schools in the conversion to academy status.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education (Lord Nash) (Con): My Lords, we fully recognise the challenges faced by small rural schools and are committed to supporting them; for instance, they will each have a named adviser in the conversion process. Many rural schools have been underfunded through an unfair system. Our new national funding formula will match funding to need and reflect their unique circumstances, ensuring that they remain at the heart of their communities.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: I thank the Minister for his response and for those details. However, does he recognise that this is about not just the viability of rural schools but the viability and sustainability of whole rural communities, given the important role that schools play in attracting and retaining workers in rural areas? Many people are concerned that, if rural schools are put into multi-academy trusts, those trusts will not have the same obligation to take into account the wider issues of rural sustainability; indeed, there may be huge pressure for mergers and closures based simply on finance and nothing else. In the light of that, can the Minister tell us what the Government intend to do to prevent that happening? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about challenges for rural areas when small schools become academies”

Bishop of Coventry questions Government about Regional Schools Commissioners

Bp Coventry May 2015

On the 14th April 2016 the Lord Shipley asked the Government what plans they have to make Regional Schools Commissioners democratically accountable. The Bishop of Coventry the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth asked a supplementary question about the factors Regional Schools Commissioners take into account when locating sponsors for a new school. 

Continue reading “Bishop of Coventry questions Government about Regional Schools Commissioners”

Bishop of St Albans praises work of credit unions in schools

On 17th March 2016  Lord Young of Cookham asked Her Majesty’s Government, “following their announcement concerning the Help to Save scheme, how many people in work and receiving either Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit are expected to benefit from that scheme.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question:

Bishop St Albans June 2015The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, will the Minister affirm the importance, in addition to the Help to Save scheme, of the increasing number of credit unions which routinely go into schools to try and create a culture of saving from the very earliest age, to address the endemic problem of a presupposition of debt? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans praises work of credit unions in schools”

Bishop of Durham raises targeting of faith-based schools by campaign groups

On 9th March 2016 Lord Watson of Invergowrie asked Her Majesty’s Government “why they are proposing to prevent some parents and organisations from objecting to violations of the School Admissions Code”. The Bishop of Durham, Rt Revd Paul Butler, asked a follow up question.

Bp Durham June 2015 b

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, we know that some campaign groups are actually targeting faith-based schools as part of a broader agenda. How many of the upheld objections were unrelated to religious selection criteria, and how many were upheld on minor administrative infringements? Are the significant time and resources used to respond to such objections justified in the light of those numbers? Continue reading “Bishop of Durham raises targeting of faith-based schools by campaign groups”

Bishop of Chester recalls ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ of compulsory school milk

14.03 Bishop of ChesterOn the 10th February 2016 Lord Storey asked the Government “whether they plan to legislate to ensure that food and drink provided in all types of schools follow Food Standards Agency food and nutritional guidelines”. The Bishop of Chester, the Rt Revd Peter Forster, asked a follow up question.

The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, if free milk is to be made available again in schools, with the Minister confirm that it would not be compulsory? For some of us it contains memories of a cruel and unusual punishment.

Continue reading “Bishop of Chester recalls ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ of compulsory school milk”