The award was presented by Baroness Kishwer Falkner who complimented the school on its values and ethos:

“I was impressed by the energetic and cheerful way Manorside went about its work of educating and integrating its interesting and varied community, particularly the way it saw its multi-ethnic base not as a problem but as an opportunity to widen the knowledge and experience of its children.”.

Among the activities of the school remarked on by the judges were:

• A refugee week, which involved parents, refugee speakers from Afghanistan, Ethiopian and Sierra Leone and a talk from a school governor who had escaped Nazi persecutio
• Links with local Jewish, Roman Catholic and community schools.
• A Language of the Month—in which ‘language ambassadors’ teach their peers basic words in the featured language and the register is answered in that language.
• Open community admissions arrangements complemented by “excellent” (Ofsted) induction procedures and a buddying system.
• Inclusive recruitment of governors and teachers, who represent a wide range of linguistic, ethnic and belief backgrounds.
• Assemblies cover a wide range of religious and non religious themes, with the involvement of staff, parents and outside speakers.
• A broad RE syllabus which covers a broad range of beliefs, including partnerships with compliamentary schools, local arts groups and religious organisations.

The award was sponsored by the Accord Coalition, which links both religious and secular organizations in campaigning for inclusive education and against religious discrimination in schools.

The Chair of Accord, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, praised all the finalists:

“At a time when some schools are hitting the headlines for the divisive nature of their religious syllabus or their discriminatory admissions procedures, it is good to highlight those who promote inclusivity and tolerance. These are the schools which will ensure the social health of 21st century Britain and which will help the next generation to grow up at ease with itself.”

The panel of judges was a diverse mix of figures from former bishop, the Rt Revd Richard Holloway, to humanist Polly Toynbee, who commented:

“Schools deserve to be recognised for the efforts they make to give a balanced education on religion. The best schools open children’s eyes to the array of systems of belief and encourage them put their own beliefs into a rational perspective. This prize celebrates those who do it well, often under religious pressures on many fronts.”

The judges also included the former Secretary of State for Education Lord (Kenneth) Baker who declared:

“I warmly support the Accord Award for Inclusivity – which also has All-Party support – because it recognises the importance of inclusiveness particularly in faith schools in our education system.”

Nevertheless, the faith school amendment on PSHE was clearly of serious concern to MPs, with Lib Dem Children, Schools and Families shadow David Laws saying:

“In spite of what the Secretary of State and the Minister have told us, the sad risk is that we will have sex and relationship education that will mean that, however objective some of the information being delivered is, young people in some schools with some faiths will be told that they are less worthy and less equal and that they are participating in less legitimate forms of activity in their lives, because the Government’s good intentions in this area have been stymied by this late amendment that we have not had an opportunity to consider. That makes me genuinely sad, because the Government, who might be just a few weeks away from the end of their period in office, have had a genuinely good record and reputation on challenging prejudice and inequality of opportunity.”

Accord and its member organisations have had a high profile role in the debate on the future of PSHE but it was still an unexpected bonus for the coalition to be praised in the Guardian editorial on Wednesday: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/24/faith-schools-eduction-policy-editorial.

Finally, we would like to say thanks to all of the Accord supporters who got in contact with their MPs about this issue. We will make sure to keep you updated about the Bill as it reaches the Lords.

Section 28 undermined Sex and Relationships Education for a generation by preventing local authorities from “promoting” homosexuality. If the new amendment is passed then faith schools will be able to ignore the principles of “accuracy”, “balance”, “promotion of equality” and “tolerance of diversity” if these conflict with its religious character. Approximately one third of schools in Britain are faith schools.

Ed Balls has claimed that this is “nonsense”, and that the impact of the new amendment is simply to allow faith schools to represent the religion of the school as one view among others, while still being required to deliver the full curriculum in a way that is accurate, balanced and promotes equality.

Speaking in response, Accord Coalition Chair Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said:

“Ed Balls’ claims about the impact of his amendment are untrue – either he and his department have misunderstood their own amendment or they are misrepresenting it.

“Ed Balls said that faith schools will be able “express the views of their faith”, but will have to teach the full programmes of study in line with the principles outlined in the Bill including promoting equality and encouraging acceptance of diversity. It is a strange irony he has accurately described the impact the bill would have if he dropped the amendment that we are objecting to.”

Unamended the Bill would require schools, including faith schools, to reflect a reasonable range of religious and cultural perspectives, and to take account of the religious and cultural backgrounds of pupils. These pluralistic provisions are among those that, under the government’s latest proposals, faith schools will be exempted from if they conflict with the school’s religious character.

Religious considerations will also be allowed to override faith schools’ duties to ensure that PSHE is “appropriate to the ages of the pupils concerned and to their religious and cultural backgrounds”, “reflects a reasonable range of religious, cultural and other perspectives” and “emphasises the importance of both rights and responsibilities.”

The Catholic Education Service is openly claiming victory on its website in forcing the amendment from the government, but campaigners say that the u-turn will damage the health and well being of many young people.

Chair of the Accord Coalition Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said:

“It is astonishing that the government plans to deny young people of their right to accurate, balanced PSHE and Sex and Relationships Education (SRE), and allow state funded schools to teach the subject from a particular religious viewpoint.”

“We call on him to withdraw the amendment – clearly made under pressure – and urge other parties to vigorously oppose it should he fail to do so”

The article by religious affairs correspondent Riazat Butt focuses especially on the way that the schools include non-religious viewpoints in RE:

Most teachers say they are open about discussing religion and non-belief with pupils. Liz Hewitt, who teaches religious studies, says open discussions make children more aware of society. “They will meet a much broader range of people when they leave Crown Hills. These kind of debates mean they can talk about faith in a more informed way.”

… Dianne Cohen, who provides religious education support, says not all Manorside pupils come from a faith background and religious education has to recognise that. “It makes it more inclusive. We always start with the children’s own experience so nobody feels left out.” One worksheet asks about the children’s morning rituals. Answers include brushing teeth, eating breakfast, getting dressed. Some children have written “praying”, others have not.

In addition, applications for the Accord Awards were also rewarded for inclusive admissions, non-discriminatory staffing arrangements and strong links with the local community.

The full article can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/feb/09/schools-teaching-religion-non-religion-award

This week Mr Cameron told gay magazine Attitude that you can prevent a rise in homophobia in faith schools by:

“having some good ground rules about the teaching of things like sex education”

Only last week, Mr Cameron said that although the style and content of sex and relationship education should not be dictated to schools:

Speaking for the amendments, Baroness Turner of Camden said:

“Why should such requirements be imposed on, for example, physical education or maths teachers when the same rules do not apply to charities or businesses with a religious ethos? I believe that this is also not in line with EU Council Directive 2000/78/EC. The directive seems to require that permitted discrimination can take place only when there is a genuine occupational requirement. The Bill, if unamended, allows discrimination against a large category of employees; namely, all teachers in most faith schools. I hope that the Government will agree that this is not acceptable and that steps should be taken to ensure that the Bill is fully in line with the EU directive.”

“We had some discussion about the EU directive earlier in this Committee, and I understand that the Government have already been told that they are in breach. I have a copy of the reasoned opinion from the EU Commission, and it is quite clear that the ruling is that this country is in breach. It is an important document, and I hope it can be left in the Library for noble Lords to read. It is important for the legislation we are introducing to be in line with the directive. If it is not, it means that people who feel that their rights have not been applied to them may seek to have them enforced by the courts. It would be better if, from the beginning, we have legislation that is fully compliant with the EU directive.”

She later said:

“During discussion on the Bill, the Government have made a large number of concessions to religious groups, which I do not think are always justified. People with no belief also have some rights. The EU directive simply says that respect should be shown to the religious ethos of religious employers by the employees. I agree, although in my view that does not include the necessity to become a member of the religion involved. I still believe that that is not a requirement-it is certainly not a requirement of the EU directive. Nor is it true that people who send their children to these schools always want to see that requirement, but I have been given evidence that parents are very concerned that teachers have these requirements imposed on them.”

The minister responding, Baroness Thornton said that she understands “that there are concerns about the SSFA and what it may potentially allow faith schools-in particular, voluntary-aided faith schools-to do with regard to their teachers”, although the government disputes the need for a change in the law.

Accord will continue to make the case for changes to the law to improve teachers’ rights.

Indeed the school prioritises practising Hindu families, and uses a definition of Hinduism disputed by some in the community. Unlike community schools, voluntary aided schools also do not have to teach the locally agreed RE syllabus. While Krishna Avanti claims that its RE lessons will be balanced, the school is under no requirement to make sure that they are.

Accord Chair Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said:

“The best way of being fair to those of different religions—as well as those who are not religious–is not to give a separate school to each group that wants one. It is to make sure that all schools are inclusive of children from different backgrounds.

There was an inevitability about the first Hindu faith school opening, but it is still a shame. This school will mean fewer Hindu families sending their children to the other local schools, and that families who have different beliefs won’t be able to attend a school on their doorstep.”

“To be clear, teachers in faith schools that are almost 100% state-funded can be appointed, disciplined, paid, promoted and dismissed according to their beliefs, with fewer legal protections than would apply to the chief executive of a religious charity or business. If more proof were needed that the law as it stands is rotten, then it is significant that both the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the joint committee on human rights think that it may contravene European law.

The government has made no coherent or principled defence of this situation. It can’t, as one does not exist. Even those most strongly in favour of state-funded faith schools would struggle to justify the extent of discrimination allowed against teachers. The only reason that this shocking anomaly is not being tackled by the bill is fear of a religious lobby that has already placed itself in shrill opposition to equality in other areas.

Yet there is broader lobby that the government would do well to listen to. 72% of people believe that schools should not discriminate by religion in employment and organisations such as the Accord Coalition bring together religious and non-religious people to campaign for reform. For the sake of teachers it is vital that the government listens.”

Accord is supporting a series of amendments put by Baroness Turner of Camden that aim to redress the unfairness of the current law. Although it will not be possible to entirely get rid of discrimination against teachers on grounds of their religion in this Bill, we believe that they should at least be able to expect the same safeguards as those working in other organisations with a religious ethos.We expect the amendments to be debated this week—probably on Wednesday, but perhaps as early as Monday. We hope that peers consider the issues seriously and give the amendments the wide support that they deserve.

BMSD Director, Tehmina Kazi, said:

“Our goals in this area coincide, as BMSD wishes to see more faith schools embrace a broad and objective curriculum that teaches pupils about a variety of religious and non-religious beliefs. It is vital that we embed a culture of respect for these different beliefs, and we are confident that this will equip future generations to succeed in our pluralist and multicultural society. We are delighted to be part of this campaign as it works for more inclusive education.”

Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, the chair of Accord, welcomed the move :

“Their involvement not only broadens the wide range of members, but also strengthens the campaign at a crucial time. There are increasing public worries about how some faith schools discriminate in terms of admissions or employment and how some can deny their pupils a rounded education about those outside their own faith”.

“With the Equality Bill – which affects faith schools – currently going through Parliament it is vital that all those who care about education ensure that faith schools are not left as a last bastion of institutional discrimination”.