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Peers debate faith school quotas Faith schools asked to 'open up'
(about 2 hours later)
Plans to make new state-funded faith schools in England take up to a quarter of their pupils from "non-believing" backgrounds are being debated by peers. New plans to encourage new state-funded faith schools take up to 25% of pupils from other backgrounds are to be drawn up by the government.
The Education and Inspections Bill returned to the Lords on Tuesday, with ministers hinting at new guidelines. Education Minister Lord Adonis told peers an amendment would be made to the Education and Inspections Bill.
Education Secretary Alan Johnson says the plans would help to cut religious and racial tensions. But he said it would not be mandatory adding: "There will be no quotas".
Former Education Secretary Lord Baker told peers the job of the education system to create a British personality. Peers have been debating an amendment from Lord Baker, which would have made taking 25% of pupils from other faiths, or no faith, a statutory requirement.
The government is expected to propose an amendment to the bill. The Conservative former education secretary told the House of Lords he saw some faith schools as "divisive", saying: "I just think it's wrong to divide children by religion at the ages of five and 11."
The migrant groups who settle well within our society most successfully are those that mingle, mix and merge Lord Baker We do not believe it right for there to be a mandatory, national 25% requirement in respect of new faith school Lord Adonis
This will state that councils - where there is sufficient demand locally - will be able to set a quota of up to 25% of places in faith schools for pupils of no religion, or a different religion.
However, where there is opposition to local authorities becoming involved in this way, parents and others will be able to appeal to the education secretary.
It appears to have been the Conservative Lord Baker's intention to table a similar amendment that prompted the government's rethink.
He told peers he regarded some faith schools as "divisive" saying: "I just think it's wrong to divide children by religion at the ages of five and 11."
Far from encouraging community cohesion and integration, we will have sown the seeds of division Lord Alton
"And where that has happened, in societies like Northern Ireland, that crop has produced a savage harvest.""And where that has happened, in societies like Northern Ireland, that crop has produced a savage harvest."
He said it would be too ambitious to try to impose the 25% quota on existing faith schools, but new schools should observe it. Lord Baker withdrew his amendment at the end of the debate, after Lord Adonis's announcement.
Lord Baker warned against creating "a very closed, inward-looking community". Lord Adonis said an amendment will be brought forward to give local authorities the power to require new faith schools to offer 25% of places to children of other faiths or no faith.
"The migrant groups who settle well within our society most successfully are those that mingle, mix and merge," he said. Where there was a lot of local opposition, parents and others will be able to appeal to the education secretary, he said.
But Lord Alton, an independent peer and Catholic member of the House of Lords, argued against the quotas, saying they risked undermining some of England's most successful schools. Government rethink
Lord Adonis said: "We do not believe it right for there to be a mandatory, national 25% requirement in respect of new faith schools.
"However, we would wish to give local authorities, in their role as guardians of community cohesion, a power to require that new faith schools have admissions policies which include an offer of at least 25% of places on the basis of local preference, not faith preference alone."
The government has said the plans could help cut religious and racial tensions.
It appears to have been Lord Baker's intention to table a similar amendment that prompted the government's rethink.
Far from encouraging community cohesion and integration, we will have sown the seeds of division Lord Alton
Lord Alton, an independent peer and Catholic member of the House of Lords, argued against statutory quotas, saying they risked undermining some of England's most successful schools.
He pointed out that for many successful Catholic schools, parents had to join waiting lists for places.He pointed out that for many successful Catholic schools, parents had to join waiting lists for places.
"Even where they had helped raise funds to help build a new school and had been keen members of the Catholic parish, they would be denied a place at the local school," he said."Even where they had helped raise funds to help build a new school and had been keen members of the Catholic parish, they would be denied a place at the local school," he said.
"Think about the resentment this could easily engender. Far from encouraging community cohesion and integration, we will have sown the seeds of division.""Think about the resentment this could easily engender. Far from encouraging community cohesion and integration, we will have sown the seeds of division."
The Church of England has already said it will set aside a quarter of places at its new schools for people outside the faith.The Church of England has already said it will set aside a quarter of places at its new schools for people outside the faith.
But Catholic, Muslim and Jewish groups oppose plans to impose a quota.But Catholic, Muslim and Jewish groups oppose plans to impose a quota.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Tony Blair told his monthly press conference faith schools were a "difficult" issue.On Tuesday, Prime Minister Tony Blair told his monthly press conference faith schools were a "difficult" issue.
The plans are expected to be debated in the House of Lords at the end of this month.