The Government is obliged to provide a free school system for all children.  Schools with a religious character make a big contribution to serving the needs of a diverse population.  One third of all schools in England have a religious character.  In England, Catholic schools, called Catholic voluntary-aided schools, provide 10% of all maintained school places. 

Article 2 of protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights states the following: “In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religions and philosophical convictions.”  As long as Catholic parents continue to request a Catholic education for their children we contend that they should be able to make that choice. 

Catholic schools follow the National Curriculum and other statutory regulations like any maintained school, as well as carrying additional responsibilities, through the role of the foundation governors, for example.

All taxpayers contribute to the cost of the nation's schools; Catholic taxpayers no less than any other taxpayer.  The suggestion, therefore, that Catholic schools are being unfairly funded by taxpayers is entirely fallacious.  The Catholic community actually pays more for its schools as 10% of the capital expenditure has to be provided from the Catholic community, whereas it is provided by the Government for other maintained schools i.e. they receive 100% funding.  In addition to their taxes, the Catholic community provides in excess of a further £20 million per annum to its schools for capital expenditure.  It should be remembered that 30% of pupils in Catholic schools are not Catholic and this is therefore a contribution that could be viewed as to the good of society.  It also saves Government and arguably other taxpayers money, which they would have to find, were pupils in Catholic voluntary-aided schools to be educated in community schools.

Oona Stannard

Chief Executive and Director

(October 2007)