Catholic Schools in England Lead in Ethnic Diversity and Inclusivity

Recent data highlights a remarkable trend within England’s education sector: Catholic schools have become the most ethnically diverse in the nation. This revelation comes from the Catholic Education Service (CES), which has published its latest findings on the subject.

The CES report indicates that 24.6% of the staff in England’s 2,074 Catholic schools are from ethnic minority backgrounds, significantly surpassing the national average of 16.2% for state-funded schools.

The diversity extends to the student body as well. Among the 817,784 students in Catholic state-funded schools, 47.2% are from ethnic minority backgrounds, compared to the 38.7% average across all state schools.

Further illustrating this diversity, a large portion of the student population is multi-faith and multicultural. Of the students, 349,309 are non-Catholic, with 45.6% from other Christian denominations, 28.5% identifying as having no religion, and 11.1% identifying as Muslim.

Overall, a substantial 86.2% of students in Catholic schools have a faith background, with Christians making up 75.8% of the student body.

Paul Barber, Director of the CES, stated, “Catholic schools are clearly popular with pupils, parents and staff from a wide range of backgrounds, and which we believe to be the most ethnically diverse in the country.”

Barber also emphasized the role of respect for various faiths in fostering community cohesion across the country.

The Catholic Church stands as the largest provider of secondary education and the second largest provider of primary education in England.

Catholic schools dedicate 10% of curriculum time to Religious Education, exceeding the average for state schools, according to the CES.

This curriculum includes the study of non-Christian religions such as Sikhism, Judaism, and Islam, which the CES believes enhances the schools’ appeal to diverse families.

Beyond promoting diversity, Catholic schools also contribute significantly to supporting disadvantaged communities.

Data from the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) reveals that Catholic schools educate 51.5% more children from the most disadvantaged areas compared to the national average.

Support initiatives such as uniform grants and breakfast clubs, implemented by 94% of Catholic schools, provide practical assistance to these communities.

Barber mentioned, “The CES also shares the government’s mission to close the disadvantage gap within education, particularly with many parents of our pupils ineligible for Free School Meals due to immigration status or low-paid casual temporary employment.”