Controversy
In 2002, a group of leading scientists including Richard Dawkins alleged that creationism was taught in biology classes at Emmanuel College. Steven Layfield, the College's Head of Science and a creationist, had delivered a lecture urging teachers to promote creationism to pupils, parents, and colleagues, including in science classes. Layfield later resigned from the board of a creationist body to underscore the separation between his private views and the school's teaching of science.
After reviewing the material used to teach science at Emmanuel College, Mike Tomlinson, chief inspector of Ofsted, decided that the matter did not need to be pursued further. The next Ofsted inspection in 2006 described the school as 'Outstanding' and found no problem with its science provision.
In 2005, John Harris in The Guardian accused Emmanuel Schools Foundation of promoting fundamentalist Christianity.
In 2006, a follow-up article by Martin Wainwright in The Guardian was strongly supportive of ESF, and said that associating its schools with creationism "couldn't be more wrong."
In 2006 for Channel 4 Rod Liddle interviewed ex-pupils for a show titled "New Fundamentalists" alleging their teachers were creationists, and had promoted creationism in class.
Political opponents of academies continued to refer to the original accusation. After Tribune magazine published such an article in 2009, Peter Vardy took legal action against the magazine and its editor, who apologised, withdrew the allegations, and made an undisclosed payment to a nominated charity.
Read more about this topic: Emmanuel Schools Foundation
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