One of the
big accusations aimed at denominational schools is that they are ‘exclusive’
whereas their secular counterparts are ‘inclusive’.

However,
this is a caricature. Denominational schools obviously have a denominational
ethos, and they are there to serve their own religious community first and
foremost. But this does not on its own mean children from other backgrounds are thereby made to
feel unwelcome or excluded.

On the
contrary, parents from other faith backgrounds will often choose to send their
children to a denominational school over a secular school precisely because it
is religious, even if the religion is not their own.

This is the
experience of many denominational schools in Ireland, and in Britain also.

I address
this at more length in my column in The Irish Independent today.