Church of England and Roman Catholic primary schools take fewer pupils with disabilities or special needs than other local schools in England, according to research that suggests faith-based admissions requirements deter pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The findings led the author, Dr Tammy Campbell of the London School of Economics, to conclude that faith schools “serve as hubs of relative advantage” for children from more affluent families who were less likely to have special needs.
More than one in four primary schools in England are administered by the Church of England (C of E) or Catholic church, with popular primaries able to admit children on the basis of religious affiliation, often requiring evidence of baptism and family church attendance.
Campbell’s research, published in the Oxford Review of Education, looked at reception class admissions between 2010 and 2020. It found that Catholic and C of E schools were less likely to admit children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) compared with maintained community primaries. In 2020, Catholic schools admitted 24% fewer children with Send and C of E schools 15% fewer.
It also found that a child with Send and free school meal eligibility was estimated to have a 22% chance of attending a faith school, compared with a 29% chance for a child with no FSM eligibility or Send designation.
Schools run by the two religions were also less likely to admit children with education, health and care plans (EHCP), which certify higher levels of special needs or disabilities, even after adjusting for school location and other influences. On average, Catholic schools admitted 15% fewer children with EHCPs, while C of E schools administering their own admissions admitted 11% fewer.
