Enthusiasm for Trusts

The Church of England has responded with enthusiasm to the Government's education White Paper, Higher Standards, Better Schools for All, which offers the opportunity to significantly improve Christian influence within schools.

If the plans are approved by Parliament, existing community schools could be affiliated to dioceses in a New Foundation or Trust category, based on a diocesan trust, although they would not acquire a religious character as church schools.

The Government is aiming to create a system of non fee-paying state schools independent of local authority control. Charitable, commercial and voluntary organisations, including the Church of England, will be able to hold the property of a school in trust and to appoint a majority of the governing body.

Schools will be free to decide whether to acquire a Trust or to become a self-governing foundation school. Like existing foundation schools, Trust schools will employ the staff and determine their own admissions policies.

"The arrival of Trust Schools is a big opportunity for the Church," said Canon John Hall, the Church’s Chief Education Officer. "Not just for dioceses but any parish or Christian group which wants to work in education through locals schools."

While the Church of England accounts for one in four of all primary schools in the country, it only provides one in 20 secondary schools. With the implementation of Lord Dearing's recommendations into expansion of Church secondary schools, this is changing dramatically. The number of pupils in Church secondary schools is set to have jumped by 25 per cent in the five years to January 2006.

"By any standards that's tremendous growth,” said Canon Hall. "And while the new Trust schools will not be church schools, we have high hopes that they will take education based on Christian values very seriously."

Local authorities will retain the duty to fund schools, to raise standards, co-ordinate school admissions, provide for special needs and fund school transport.

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