The Impact of Church Schools on Urban Church Life

ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of Church of England voluntary aided and voluntary controlled primary schools on a range of indices of urban church life in a sample of 1,316 parishes. After controlling for the influence of population size, electoral roll, the amalgamation of churches within multi‐parish benefices, the age of the minister in charge and whether or not there is an occupied parsonage within the area served by the church, the presence of a church school is shown to augment slightly the urban church's contact with under 14 year olds through membership of the choir and team of servers. The presence of a church school also increases slightly the number of young confirmands under the age of 14 and the number of 14‐17 year olds contacted through church youth groups. There is also a higher number of infant baptisms in parishes which contain a church school. All these findings emphasise the beneficial nature of the impact of Church of England voluntary schools on urban church life.