By Lucy Caulkett-
A Catholic academy trust has banned its 19 primary schools from hosting 11-plus exams that “promote non-Catholic schools”.
In a letter distributed across the Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership (KCSP) in September, Clive Webster, its chief executive, said academies “must now cease enabling, facilitating or, especially, administering the Kent test (or any other 11-plus derivative)”.
The KCSP, which is part of the archdiocese of Southwark, led by Archbishop John Wilson has taken the partnership up to remind members “at the request of the archbishop” that “it is diocesan policy that school premises are not used to promote non-Catholic schools”.
The original letter, first reported by the Kent Independent Education Advice website, said that promoting non-Catholic schools included the use of Catholic premises for administering grammar school tests.
It read: “While the archbishop acknowledges the importance of parental choice, schools should promote Catholic education in the area that is in accord with the church’s social teachings and reinforces the value of all children as being created in the image of Christ and being born to nourish.”
The Catholic Education Service said implementation of such policies was the decision of individual dioceses. Many parents from none Catholic backgrounds like sending their children to Catholic schools because of the level of discipline exercised there and the high motivation of pupils to excel academically and in adopt strong moral principles rooted in the Christian faith.
UPBRINGING
None Catholic parents do not mind the strong religious upbringing because they know ultimately their children have a choice not to follow the religious doctrine, but many professional parents like the seriousness of education practised in many Catholic schools, despite the poor reputation of priests throughout history and that negative image it has given the Catholic Church worldwide.
The letter describes Kent was a “selective education county” and grammar schools were a decision of parental preference, but “as paid employees within a Catholic multi-academy trust” the partnership must “do all we can to promote the option of continuing Catholic education”.
He disputed claims pupils would be disadvantaged as the council was “more than able to administer in designated sites”.
“Arguably, neutral sites, as used for the 11-plus elsewhere, are fairer to all children because they are taking the test in the same conditions.
“The fact is children attending Catholic primary schools and academies in Kent have the best chance of passing the test because, by all local, regional and national benchmarks, they get a better education than most comparable primary schools.”
LACK OF SCRUTINY
Dr Nuala Burgess, the chair of Comprehensive Future, an anti-grammar school campaign group, said: “This situation highlights the lack of scrutiny in selective areas. The fact that no formal body oversees the way selective school systems are run means we have no idea what the withdrawal of so many schools will mean for parents and children.”