Emmanuel Schools Foundation

The Emmanuel Schools Foundation (ESF) (previously the Vardy Foundation after its founder, Sir Peter Vardy) intends to set up a total of seven specialist independent schools in the UK under the Government's City Academies Initiative.

At present the foundation runs three facilities- The King's Academy in Middlesbrough, Emmanuel City Technology College in Gateshead and Trinity Academy in Doncaster. The Foundation put forward an 'expression of interest' to open a second Academy in the Doncaster area, this time in the town of Conisbrough. The scheme, which was enthusiastically backed by Conisbrough council's Aidan Rave and Doncaster Mayor Martin Winter, was shelved following a campaign by the parents of Conisbrough's Northcliffe [cite web | url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/newschools/story/0,,1327479,00.html | title=Protest spikes plan for academy school in Doncaster | author=Press Association | publisher=The Guardian | date=2004-10-14 | accessdate=2008-05-29] .

ESF has received the green light to build a fourth Academy in the Northumbria area which is to be named Bede Academy (after the famous St. Bede who came from the area).

Creationism controversy

A lecture given by Steven Layfield in 2000, prior to his taking up the job of Head of Science at Emmanuel College, Gateshead, on "The Teaching of Science: A Biblical Perspective" advocated the teaching of Intelligent Design in schools [cite web | url=http://www.darwinwars.com/lunatic/liars/layfield.html | title=The Teaching of Science A Biblical Perspective | publisher=Christian Institute (content mirrored) | date=2006-07-29 | accessdate=2008-05-29] .

In 2002, a group of nine leading scientists and eight bishops, which included British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, Richard Harries, then Bishop of Oxford, and renowned broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, alleged that creationism was taught in Emmanuel College biology classes [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1872331.stm | title=School attacked over evolution teaching | publisher=BBC | date=2002-03-14 | accessdate=2008-05-29] [Dawkins, Richard (2006). The God Delusion] . However, after inspecting the material used to teach science at Emmanuel College, Ofsted decided that the matter did not need to be pursued further [cite web | url=http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/assets/3255.pdf | title=The teaching of science at Emmanuel College | author=David Bell | publisher=Ofsted | date=2002-05-07 | accessdate=2008-05-29] .

An Ofsted inspection in 2006 described the school as 'Outstanding' and found no problem with its science provision [cite web | url=http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.7c7b38b14d870c7bb1890a01637046a0/?event=getReport&urn=108420&inspectionNumber=277967&providerCategoryID=8192&fileName=\school\108\pip_108420_20060502.xml | title=Emmanuel College inspection report | publisher=Ofsted | date=2006-03-28 | accessdate=2008-05-29] .

John Dear, Head of the Science Department at the King's Academy, has said on many occasions that the teaching of creationism does not form part of the curriculum in science lessons, but the idea of a creator God is discussed freely in Religious Education and presented to pupils in assemblies [cite web | url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/news-archive/2004/12/20/science-fact-not-fiction-84229-14997939/ | title=Science fact not fiction | publisher=Gazette Live | date=2004-12-20 | accessdate=2008-05-29] .

Controversy emerged again in November 2006 when it emerged that Steven Layfield was a director of Truth in Science, a body which had sent material to British schools questioning the theory of evolution. However a statement was released by Emmanuel College denied that Steven Layfield's private involvement reflected the views of the School. Steven Layfield subsequently resigned from the board of Truth in Science [cite web | url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/tm_headline=i-ll-sponsor-school&method=full&objectid=18129570&page=2&siteid=50081-name_page.html | title=Science teacher quits faith pressure group | publisher=The Journal | date=2006-11-21 | accessdate=2008-05-29] .

References

External links

* [http://www.emmanuelctc.org.uk/ Official site]
* [http://www.creationism.co.uk/index.php/Main/TheEmmanuelSchoolsFoundation/ The Emmanuel Schools Foundation] , [http://www.creationism.co.uk Creationism.co.uk]
* [http://www.cadpag.co.uk/ Conisbrough And Denaby Parents Action Group] , a group against the Emmanuel Schools Foundation from taking over Northcliffe Comprehensive
* [http://www.freewebs.com/cityacademies/ City Academies] , website by a former pupil
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1389500,00.html What a creation...] The Guardian, January 15 2005
* [http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,,1963511,00.html They aren't faith schools and they don't select] The Guardian, December 5 2006
* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=summary&id=108420 Latest Emmanuel College OFSTED report]
* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=summary&id=135007 Latest Trinity Academy OFSTED report]
* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=summary&id=134223 Latest King’s Academy OFSTED report]