In England, the academic success of many Anglican schools has been highlighted, in recent years, by Ofsted Reports and by DfES Performance Tables. There is a perception among many parents and the media that levels of academic achievement in some Anglican schools are higher than those in local education authority schools. Read more

Differences in pupil admission policies are often perceived as the principal cause of achievement variations between different kinds of school and consequently some have suggested that Anglican schools may do better because they attract better-educated pupils from more economically stable families; that they are guilty of ‘skimming the cream’ – that they exercise a degree of academic and social selectivity bias in admissions. In short, that they are guilty of social exclusion. The evidence in support of these arguments is often anecdotal and potentially unreliable. This research studies the academic performance of Anglican schools and tries to understand the reasons for their perceived success or failure.

Download a PDF of the report Statistical Survey of the Attainment and Achievement of Pupils in Church of England Schools