All faiths and none: school leadership and religion in multifaith societies

Abstract

This report focuses on leading for inclusion of learners of diverse faiths in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and draws on the experience and practice of school leaders. The role of faith in schools has always been an issue of debate,1 but it has become increasingly contested. Long-standing controversies, such as the integration of Protestants and Catholics in Ireland or the clustering of the socioeconomically advantaged in some faith schools have been overlaid by new concerns as the diversity of the population has increased in many states. Stereotyping, prejudice and related disadvantage continue to surface in schools, often connected to essentialising communities on the grounds of faith and ethnicity and linking them to security threats.

The overall aim of the report is to offer a stimulus for reflection to enable those who lead in schools to develop their practice. The assumption underlying the report is that leaders of all schools, whether affiliated to a faith or not, whether serving a visibly diverse community or not, need to consider how to achieve inclusion in relation to faith in order to serve their learners appropriately and fit them to thrive in societies of the future. Given often deeply embedded perceptions of the connection between faith and ethnicity, gender and attitudes to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) learners, the report also considers these issues as they intersect with faith. Although faith is the primary focus, it is also a proxy or litmus paper for the attitudes, intentions and practice of school leaders in an ever-more diverse society.

The report sketches in the relevant concepts in use in schools, describes the methods of research, sets out the context in the United Kingdom and in Ireland and explores the experience of a sample of leaders. It concludes by reflecting on the challenges in leading schools in multifaith societies and offers ideas for ways forward. The report is intended primarily for practitioners. It uses only part of the very rich data provided by those who participated in the project. Further articles will continue to communicate what has been learned.

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