Do we need more church schools in Liverpool?

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YES: The Argument For: Christian values and ethos are praised time and again by Jon Richardson, Director of Education, Diocese of Liverpool CHURCH schools have made a huge contribution to education in Liverpool. Today, almost half of the city's children attend one of its 19 Anglican or 66 Catholic schools.   The oldest primary school is Garston Church of England School, while one of the newest is the Academy of St Francis of Assisi, sponsored by the Anglican Diocese and Catholic Archdiocese, which opened last year in Kensington.   Church schools educate children from every social, racial and cultural group, and some are among Liverpool's most multi-racial, multi-cultural schools.   St Silas Church of England School, in Toxteth, for example, has had national recognition for its work in this area. This mix of pupils reflects the city's Christian population, but church schools also have pupils from other faiths, or no faith background at all.   Church schools perform well academically. Church high schools consistently feature prominently in league tables, whatever measures are used, while primary schools such as St Anne's Stanley are recognised by Ofsted as outstanding.   But there is much more to it than this. Their Christian values and ethos are praised time and again in external inspection reports.   Indeed, their ethos can often be felt as soon as you walk through the door! Church schools aspire to be unashamedly Christian comm-unities, where religion is exper-ienced as well as taught, and which usually have strong links with their local churches.   This is not indoctrination. The aim is to give pupils a better understanding of religion, in order to inform their choices in life. Pupils learn about world religions, and many parents from other faiths send their children to church schools because they know their beliefs will be respected in an environment where God is acknowledged and worshipped.   Polls show at least two-thirds of the population claim to be Christian. It should, therefore, be no surprise that so many people want their children educated in church schools and why all main- stream political parties support them in this fundamental right.   People in Kensington supported the Academy of St Francis of Assisi, with the council's back-ing, and, in similar situations, the churches might be involved again.   The Diocese believes the Blue Coat School has always been a Church of England school, and should have been designated as such when the law was strengthened in 1998. The Secretary of State, after all the evidence has been studied, appears to agree.   Church schools have served Liverpool well.

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