Catholic Church Backs Campaign to Preserve Anglican School’s Status

A Controversial Move: The Battle Over Ysgol Cilgerran’s Church Status

The removal of the Anglican status from Ysgol Cilgerran, a school in Wales, has sparked a heated discussion involving religious and local authorities. A contentious decision by Pembrokeshire County Council to strip the school of its Voluntary Controlled (VC) status has drawn criticism from the Church in Wales and garnered backing from the Roman Catholic Church in Wales.

The decision, taken on 14 May, was unexpected for many, especially since a consultation revealed that 97 percent of responses opposed the change. This action prompted the Church in Wales to label the decision as “entirely unnecessary,” expressing intentions to legally challenge the council if it proceeds with the plan, citing potential misrepresentations and discrimination against faith-based education.

Angela Keller, Wales Adviser to the Catholic Education Service, has thrown her support behind the Church in Wales. In her communication to Pembrokeshire Council, Keller questioned whether the statutory requirements outlined in the School Organisation Code were met, indicating a lack of educational advantage to removing the school’s religious designation.

According to Keller, “There is no evidence to suggest that the removal of the school’s religious designation will be of any educational benefit as the school is already performing well and has a stable leadership profile.” She also pointed out that the council acknowledged that the proposal would not yield any noticeable educational or financial gains despite the costs and disruptions involved in reorganizing the school.

Furthermore, Keller highlighted potential oversights by the council regarding its obligations under the Equality Act 2010. With the nearest alternative Church in Wales school being 20 miles away, she argued that the removal of Ysgol Cilgerran’s church status would undermine parental choice.

Supporting the Church in Wales’ stance, Keller described the council’s actions as “indirect discrimination,” which could place families adhering to specific religious beliefs at a disadvantage, potentially breaching the Equality Act.

A spokesperson for the Church in Wales expressed gratitude for Keller’s support, stating, “We welcome this latest powerful expression of support for the campaign to save Ysgol Cilgerran’s church status. The threat to Cilgerran is a threat to faith schools, to diversity, to the community, and to the children and families who have been impacted by Pembrokeshire Council’s entirely unnecessary actions.”

Addressing the concerns and objections from both religious bodies, Pembrokeshire Council responded, “Any objections during the notice period will be collated over the summer and the report is anticipated to return to council in the autumn. The objections will be fully considered and outlined in the objection report. We are aware of the views of the diocese on the matter.”