Press Release: Six new faith schools for Shropshire

On Monday 19 May the Shropshire County Council Cabinet decided to proceed with their plan to create six new faith schools. Each of these primary schools will take pupils from closing two existing schools.

The Church of England advocates closing fully inclusive Community Schools in order to create their new faith schools. The only merger the CofE object to is the one where both original schools are already under their control.

A report by the Centre for the Economics of Education, based at the London School of Economics takes a look at the myths in favour of Church schools. When all factors are fully considered, they concluded “there is no difference between expected attainment in Faith Primary schools and expected attainment in any other school type (and possibly even a negative impact from Church of England Schools)”.

The Council’s proposals now go to consultation for six weeks.

Marches Secularists, the only public watchdog on religion in the area, wants to hear from parents and others who are concerned about this wholesale takeover of schools by the Church. Chairman@MarchesSecularists.org www.MarchesSecularists.org.

May 2008 Meeting

Our May meeting will be held on Saturday, May 10th 2008 at:

The Quaker Meeting House, Temple Street, Llandrindod Wells.

The Meeting House where we will be holding our meeting is actually situated behind the old Friends Meeting House which is a large red brick building, very visible on the A483 opposite Aldi’s supermarket, near the centre of Llandrindod Wells. You can get to our meeting venue through a gate and path to the left of the old building. On road free parking is available.

The meeting is scheduled to commence at 10.45am. but please aim to arrive by 10.30am when Tea/Coffee will be available.

In addition to the availability of tea and coffee, lunchtime food  items (i.e. jacket potatoes and a choice of fillings) will be provided by our Chairman. By way of payment for the cost of hire of the venue and for lunch and hot drinks we are asking members to pay £3.50 per head.

Following end of meeting (we have use of the venue until 14.00 hours) you may wish to do some sightseeing and/or shopping in Llandrindod Wells bfore you head off back home.

We hope that you will be able to attend and look forward to meeting you in Llandrindod Wells.