Parents get say in school changes

Parents are being asked to have a direct say in possible changes to how primary schools cater for religiouslydiverse groups of pupils.

Their experiences and expectations gathered as part of a public consultation will feed into a Government White Paper, promised by the Coalition in 2011 to ensure schools cater for all religions and none.

The first step was the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector whose report last year recommended parents be surveyed in areas where there is not enough choice of schools for families who do not want their children taught in a Catholic school. This was done in 43 areas, and plans are in place for the hand-over of a Catholic primary school in two-thirds of the towns to an alternative patron from next year.