First Broadcast: Wed 18 August 2010

The number of faith schools in Britain is rising. Around 7,000 publicly-funded schools - one in three - now has a religious affiliation.

As the coalition government paves the way for more faith-based education by promoting 'free schools', the renowned atheist and evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins says enough is enough.

In this passionately argued film, Dawkins calls on us to reconsider the consequences of faith education, which, he argues, bamboozles parents and indoctrinates and divides children.

The film features robust exchanges with former Secretary of State for Education Charles Clarke, Head of the Church of England Education Service Reverend Janina Ainsworth, and the Chair of the Association of Muslim Schools, Dr Mohammed Mukadam.

It also features insights from child psychologists and key players in faith education as well as insights from both parents and pupils.

Dawkins also draws on his own personal history as a father, arguing that the government must stop funding new faith schools, and urges society to respect a child's right to freedom of belief.

    1. Richard Dawkins Wed 18 Aug 2010

      The number of faith schools in Britain is rising. Around 7,000 publicly-funded schools - one in three - now has a…

      • This programme has episodes with subtitles available.

MORE:

  • Robert Beckford

    Who Wrote the Bible?

    1 Episode

    Who actually wrote the book that millions of people describe as the word of God? Theologian Robert Beckford sets off on a voyage of historical discovery through Genesis and beyond.

  • Stephen Hawking

    Master of the Universe

    2 Episodes

    Twenty years after A Brief History of Time became an unlikely global bestseller, Professor Stephen Hawking takes viewers on a journey through the universe to explore the mysteries of physics

  • Young, Angry and White

    Young, Angry and White

    1 Episode

    First Cut meets a teenager considering joining the BNP, and attempts to understand what makes a young person think of joining a party with such a controversial manifesto and image

  • Edge of the Universe

    Edge of the Universe

    3 Episodes

    In this three-part series the world's leading astronomers and cosmologists reveal extraordinary new discoveries about the shape and structure of the universe and what lies beyond its edge

  • Aarathi Prasad

    Is It Better to Be Mixed Race?

    1 Episode

    This documentary from the Race: Science's Last Taboo season asks is it a biological advantage to have parents of different ethnic backgrounds?

  • Mammoth

    Extinct

    6 Episodes

    Of all the species that have ever existed, 99.9% are now extinct. This documentary brings to life the compelling stories of these lost creatures and solves the mystery of their demise.

  • Tony Robinson's Gods and Monsters

    Tony Robinson's Gods and Monsters

    3 Episodes

    Tony Robinson reveals a terrifying world of walking corpses and evil spirits - the world that our ancestors thought they lived in

  • Landlords from Hell

    Dispatches

    31 Episodes

    Dispatches is Channel 4's award winning investigative current affairs programme

  • Rev Rowland Jide Macaulay

    4thought.tv

    442 Episodes

    A series of highly personal short films, broadcast daily, reflecting on a broad range of religious and ethical issues, and aspects of our spiritual lives. These 90-second films challenge some traditional views, providing a platform for both scepticism and devout religious beliefs.

  • Robert Beckford

    Who Wrote the Bible?

    1 Episode

    Who actually wrote the book that millions of people describe as the word of God? Theologian Robert Beckford sets off on a voyage of historical discovery through Genesis and beyond.

  • Mecca

    The Hajj: The Greatest Trip on Earth

    12 Episodes

    Hajj - the great pilgrimage to Mecca - is a journey that every Muslim, with the means to, must make before they die. This series examines what this means to a variety of believers.

  • Revelations: Muslim and Looking for Love

    Revelations

    5 Episodes

    A brand new strand of eight films explores the impact religion has on the lives of believers and non-believers in Britain today