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Revision as of 15:16, 21 March 2007
The Emmanuel Schools Foundation (previously the Vardy Foundation after its founder, Sir Peter Vardy) intends to set up a total of seven specialist independent schools in the UK under the Government's City Academies Initiative. Under this scheme the provision of some initial sponsorship gives the backer the right to influence the ethos of the school by hand-picking the initial board of governors, though one of the board members must be a board member who is nominated by the parents of children at the Academy. This is controversial because of Vardy's fundamentalist Christian beliefs.
A key feature of the Foundation's schools is the emphasis on its Christian ethos, although the Foundation is keen to stress that there has never been a religious dimension to its Student Intake Policy. In particular, students are encouraged to consider the claims of the Bible, including creationism, alongside the standard National Curriculum. These ideas are presented in assemblies and religion lessons (called Philosophy, Theology and Ethics).
At present the foundation runs three schools - The King's Academy in Middlesbrough, Emmanuel College in Gateshead and Trinity Academy in Doncaster. The Foundation put forward an 'expression of interest' in opening a second Academy in the Doncaster area, this time in the town of Conisbrough. The scheme, which was enthusiastically backed by Conisbrough council's Aidan Rave and Doncaster Mayor Martin Winter, was scrapped after protests by parents of Conisbrough's Northcliffe School.. The Foundation is also in talks with Northumbria's Local Education Authority.
It is worth noting that while the Academy initiative is meant to replace "failing" inner city schools, according to local parents and teachers, one of the schools that The King's Academy replaced was neither failing nor has an inner city location. Coulby Newham School was regarded as good in its OFSTED reports in 1995 and 2000 and in 2002 HMI stated that it was even better than at its last inspection. HMI stated quite clearly that the new school should build on the work already done at Coulby Newham. In the academy's first few months of operation some 10 times the national average of pupils were permanently excluded. Some consider the discipline at the King's to be strict, others welcome the 'old-school' style of discipline that the Academy has laid down.
The Emmanuel Schools Foundation aspires to run seven schools (seven being a biblically significant number). In September 2005, Nigel McQuoid (former principal of the King's Academy and Emmanuel College themselves) became head of the entire foundation, ensuring its proper running. McQuoid also has a seat on the board of governors at each of the Foundation's schools. Chris Drew, who was educated in nearby Stockton-on-Tees, (and former head of sixth form at the King's Academy) replaced him as principal.
The three schools that currently form the foundation have formed a strong alliance. One such event that shows this spirit of friendship is the annual Emmanuel Schools Olympics which was hosted by The King's in 2004 ,and Emmanuel College in 2005.
In 2006 Ofsted praised Emmanuel College of Gateshead, claiming that it is "remarkable", and classifying it as an 'outstanding' school for the third inspection in a row. It is only one of twelve secondary schools in the UK to have achieved this. .
It is said that the report should be taken with a pinch of salt, as Emmanuel College attracts the best pupils. This suggestion is flawed, since Emmanuel is a wholly comprehensive school - its intake has to fulfil exact quotas of children from different ability bands.
Creationism controversy
The Fundation first became national news in 2002 when it was revealed that creationism was taught in Emmanuel College biology classes. The role of creationism in science lessons has since become less clear, with Vardy confirming it in 2003 and denying it in 2005, both times on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme. The Head of the Science, Electronics and Engineering Department at the King's, John Dear, has said on many occasions that the teaching of creationism will not form part of the curriculum in science lessons, but the idea of a God Creator is of course discussed freely in Religious Education and presented to pupils in assemblies.
Nigel McQuoid, however, has stated:
- To teach children that they are developed mutations who evolved from something akin to a monkey as a result of a cataclysmic chemical accident and that death is the end of everything is hardly going to engender within them a sense of purpose, self-worth and respect. To present, however, the Truth that they were made by a loving and just God who sees every one of them as being of equal and real value and capable of achieving their best, and to speak of the life beyond death, creates an altogether more positive sense of responsibility, accountability and direction.
A lecture given by Steven Layfield, prior to his taking up the job of Head of Science at Emmanuel College, Gateshead, on The Teaching of Science: A Biblical Perspective in 2000 (but taken down by the Christian Institute at the request of the College) had several suggestions for incorporating religion into subjects like biology ("Biologists ought at the very least to recognise and draw particular attention to the lack of factual evidence for macro-evolution."), Chemistry ("Chemists should point out the remarkable fact that... the evident order epitomized in the periodic table betrays the fact that the Creator is a God order not chaos."), and physics ("Physics teachers must give careful thought and consideration to the actual data... and then weigh the possibility of such intricate structure and complexity arising by chance. They should go on to explain that the time-honoured laws of Physics collectively cry out 'impossible'!").
An analysis of the Biblical message from the 2004 prospectus can be found here.
Trinity Academy
Trinity Academy opened on the site of Thorne Grammar School in September 2006. Although all Thorne Grammar School staff had a TUPE right to transfer across at the same rate of pay and working conditions there are several anomalies where jobs have been changed, shared out and then made redundant. A significant proportion, in excess of 30, of the Thorne Grammar School Staff either retired or found other employment in preference to moving to Trinity Academy. At the end of the 2005-6 academic year more staff have left (20+), it is claimed that some have left due to stress.
Trinity Academy has officially permanently excluded very few pupils. In part this is because some pupils decided not to take up their place at the new Academy, of which all students were offered the opportunity.
External links
- Cash for Honours Scandal; Guardian News January 16, 2006
- Official site
- Emmanuel Schools Foundation
- Black Shadow, an anti-Emmanuel, anti-creationist Schools campaign site
- Marc Draco, another anti-Emmanuel Schools campaign site targeting Kings Academy primarily
- Conisbrough And Denaby Parents Action Group, a group against the Emmanuel Schools Foundation from taking over Northcliffe Comprehensive (the group has won its case)
- What a creation... The Guardian, January 15 2005