New research from the National Secular Society, based on polling by More in Common, highlights public concern about how some state-funded schools select their pupils.
The findings suggest that many people are uneasy about selection practices that are not widely understood. Fewer than four in ten respondents were aware that some state-funded schools are permitted to prioritise children based on religious criteria when oversubscribed. When this was explained, a clear majority felt this was not the right approach.
Although Comprehensive Future is not opposed to faith schools, this touches on broader issues around how admissions systems operate in practice, and who they work for.
A question of fairness and access
England’s school system includes a wide range of school types. Faith schools, in particular, are a longstanding part of the education landscape, and many serve their local areas well. However, concerns arise where admissions arrangements, of any kind, risk limiting access for certain groups of children.
Selection by religion sits alongside other forms of selection across the system, including aptitude-based admissions, complex oversubscription criteria, and requirements that can be difficult for some families to meet or navigate. Recent CF research found that grammar schools and faith schools dominated a study of the least inclusive schools.
Tests of ‘ability’ or ‘proof of faith’ shape who can access a school, and we know that poorer or less motivated families are less likely to access schools with greater barriers to entry.
A lack of transparency
One of the most striking findings from the research is how little awareness there is about how admissions actually work.
This reflects what many parents experience in practice. Admissions policies can be lengthy, technical, and difficult to interpret. The criteria that ultimately determine who gets a place are not always easy to compare across schools, or to understand in advance.
This lack of transparency matters. When families don’t have a clear picture of how places are allocated, it becomes harder to make informed choices, and harder to have confidence that the system is working fairly.
Inclusion and social cohesion
The research also highlights concerns about the potential for some admissions practices to contribute to social division. Respondents expressed unease about systems that separate children along religious lines, and a preference for schools that reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. There was also strong support for a broad and inclusive approach to religious education, rather than one focused on a single worldview.
These concerns align with a wider principle that state-funded schools should be inclusive spaces that bring children together, not divide them.
A system-wide issue
Across our school system, different forms of selection can have unintended consequences for fairness and access, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, or those whose families are less able to navigate complex admissions processes. At Comprehensive Future, we believe that all state-funded schools should be open, inclusive, and accessible to their local communities.
Faith schools are an established part of England’s education system, and many are valued by the families they serve. But as this research shows, there is growing public interest in how admissions work, and whether they are as fair and inclusive as they could be.
That’s a conversation worth having.
