The National Secular Society has expressed concern that a nonreligious school has joined a Christian evangelism project despite its headteacher admitting it has “no educational objectives”.
Jubilee High School in Addlestone, Guildford hosts a “Hub Leader” for the Church of England’s “Youth Catalyst Project”, according to the diocese of Guildford website.
The Hub Leader’s responsibilities include leading classes and “worship events” where children can “encounter God”, despite the school having no religious character.
The Youth Catalyst Project is a £3.2 million project by the diocese of Guildford to put youth ministers in local schools.
A promotional video (pictured) for the Youth Catalyst Project says it seeks to “live out the Church of England’s bold vision to see the number of young people at our churches doubled by 2030”. This goal was also set out by a Church document in 2023, which outlined its plans to use schools, including non-faith schools, to achieve this vision.
The NSS, which campaigns to protect state-funded schools from religious interference, has said it is “disappointing and worrying that the leaders of Jubilee High School are allowing the Church to use their school as a mission field.”
School hosting “worship events” for children to “encounter God”
The Hub Leader at Jubilee High School, Sarah McNulty, has a role in “leading and assisting in Philosophy and Ethics lessons”, in addition to organising “special days and visits where students can explore and connect with their faith”.
She also twice weekly “lunch clubs”, “1-1 sessions” and “group mentoring”.
The school also hosts a termly “worship event”, where young people can “encounter God personally”. During school holidays, the “Youth Catalyst team” run “holiday camps” where young people can “encounter Jesus”.
Last March, McNulty presented the Youth Catalyst Project work at a meeting of the Runnymede Deanery entitled “Reports from Mission Fields in Runnymede”.
The school actively promotes the Youth Catalyst Project to parents. Between the start of the school year in September and May 1st, over half of the general whole school letters sent to families have promoted Youth Catalyst activities or other activities at St Paul’s Church, which is partnered with the school via the project.
Last year, the Supreme Court affirmed in the ‘JR87’ case that religious education and collective worship in schools must be “objective, critical, and pluralistic” and not amount to “pursuing the aim of indoctrination”.
Head: “There are no educational objectives behind the scheme”
When the diocese of Guildford revealed it was targeting Jubilee High School for its Youth Catalyst Project in 2023, the NSS wrote to the school urging it not to join. It said parents choosing the school “will reasonably expect the education it provides to be inclusive and secular in nature”.
The school confirmed in October 2023 that it “shall be declining this project”.
However, the NSS discovered this April that the school has since joined the project.
When asked why the school had u-turned on its decision, headteacher Mark Conroy said: “Due to the work that we do with many links in the community, we felt we were in a position to support this project”.
The NSS also asked what educational objective the school thinks the Youth Catalyst Project serves.
Conroy replied: “There are no educational objectives behind the scheme – it is more for awareness for our students”.
There is no evidence the school consulted with parents before joining the project.
One of the directors at Bourne Education Trust, which Jubilee High School belongs to, is Tony Oakden, a consultant for the diocese of Guildford. Oakden was also chair of governors at Jubilee High School from 2014 to 2017. Oakden provided information about Jubilee High School in St Paul’s 2021 annual report.
The NSS has also raised concerns about the diocese of Guildford’s attempts to impose Christianity on nonreligious schools through mergers. Last week, it joined parents and local councillors in opposing plans for nonreligious Merrow Junior School to be amalgamated into Merrow C of E Controlled Infant School, with the resulting school having a CofE religious character.
The CofE estimates its ‘worshipping community’ (those who attend church at least once a month) to be less than 2% of the population of England, with people aged 70 or over making up “a considerably larger proportion” of this community compared with England’s population.
NSS: “Schools are for teaching, not preaching”
NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: “It is disappointing and worrying that the leaders of Jubilee High School are allowing the Church of England to use their school as a mission field.
“The headteacher has admitted this project has no educational objective. Which begs the question – why is the school inviting in Church representatives with an agenda to convert children to Christianity?
“Schools are for teaching, not preaching. Jubilee High School should cease serving the Church’s desire to boost its falling numbers, and should focus on the educational needs of its children.”