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Out of the Ordinary

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Documentary series uncovering stories from the left field. Presented by Jolyon Jenkins

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Out of the Ordinary: Series 5

Out of the Ordinary: Series 5: A Righteous Education?

10/03/2017

A Righteous Education?

Series 5

BBC Radio 4 - Out of the Ordinary, Series 5, A Righteous Education?

Jolyon Jenkins investigates the UK's private schools teaching fundamentalist Christianity.

Jolyon Jenkins investigates the private Christian schools in Britain that teach that evolution is untrue, homosexuality is wrong and that wives should submit to their husbands.

Jolyon Jenkins investigates the network of private Christian schools in Britain that teach that evolution untrue, homosexuality is wrong, and that wives should submit to their husbands.

These schools use the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum, originally devised by a fundamentalist Texan who thought that all education needed to assume the literal truth of the bible. The entire curriculum, including science, makes continual reference to God's plan. It promotes creationism, and the false idea that humans and dinosaurs co-existed on earth.

The system requires children to sit in "offices" - desks screened off from their neighbours - and work their way in silence through the "packets of accelerated Christian education" and then take multiple choice tests. The system requires no teachers, only "supervisors". Pupils do not usually take A levels but special Christian exams. 

Although some pupils make it to university and have successful careers, Jolyon speaks to others who feel that the system has not served them well. Are ACE pupils being well prepared for life in modern Britain? For years, Ofsted has appeared to show little interest in the contents of the ACE curriculum but a few recent inspections of ACE schools suggest that this may be changing. 

Presenter/Producer: Jolyon Jenkins.

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