Upset parents launch petition as Doncaster church school plans admission rule change

Canon Popham C of E Primary Academy in Edenthorpe has altered its placement rules – sparking anger in the local community.

Petition organiser Sophie Burrows is calling on the school in Church Balk to reverse its decision and prioritise those with a Christian faith.

She said: “The proposed changes to the school admissions policy are to prioritise those living within the parish above those who are of a Christian faith.

"The new policy may limit access for local Christian children and potentially disrupt the community-centric ethos of our beloved academy.

"Unfortunately, the other Church of England primary schools in Doncaster have already taken up this change and therefore if you do not live within catchment but are hoping for a Church of England school then, as it stands, Canon Popham is the only option and this is now going to be removed.

"We believe that maintaining the current admissions policy makes the most sense as it has done for all these years.”

A spokesman for The Diocese of Sheffield Academies Trust, which runs the school said: “Church of England schools are meant to serve their communities.

"The Diocese of Sheffield Academies Trust has reviewed admissions policies in all its schools.

"The Trust’s intention is to prioritise places for children who live in a school’s local area. Previously, policies prioritised admission of children whose families attended church.

"The Trust will still make places available for church families but it is intent on ensuring no local child loses out on a place at their local school. This has meant a prioritising of local children over children who attend church.

"The decision followed much discussion and is not one taken lightly.

“The change is not connected to any plans to change the status of the school from a church school.

“Quite the contrary: this change demonstrates even greater Christian commitment to engagement with the local community, offering the best possible education arising from the school’s deeply embedded Christian vision.

"This change makes us a parish school - we’re there for the parish.

“In autumn of 2023, DSAT ran a consultation on admissions oversubscription criteria, aiming to make this policy change for all its schools to which it applied.

"Following feedback from one parent at Canon Popham School the decision taken by the trust was to continue with the proposed change in most of its schools.

"The change was paused at Canon Popham and one other school to provide a space to meet with the school’s community and explain the proposed change, listening more fully to responses.

"It is still the trust’s intention to make the proposed change, and this ‘pause’ is a response to concerns at the speed of the process of change and at the level of engagement rather than any questioning of the actual change itself.

“The move from prioritising church attendance to prioritisation of children living locally in the parish resulted in a large number of questions and concerns being raised. While this has not changed the Trust’s view that such a policy would more in keeping with our commitment to providing local schools for their communities, the trust is of the view that at any school where parental concerns had been raised, further engagement is needed to both explain the thinking behind the change and to ensure we have given the community the fullest opportunity to meet and discuss this proposal.

“The Trust held a meeting for parents at the school on 26 March, which two parents attended, at which the policy change was explained and objections were countered.

Huw Thomas, Chair of the Diocese of Sheffield Academies Trust and Diocesan Director of Education commented: “Church schools are not meant to be just for those who attend Church.

"They are Church schools for the community This change is in keeping with the national move away from church attendance being used as the main entry criteria for our schools.”