Religious education, school climate and achievement : a study of nine Catholic sixth-form girls' schools

Abstract

This study of nine Catholic girls’ schools attempts to show the reciprocal relations which exist among certain key variables defining the sixth-former’s experience of her school environment A number of Catholic girls’ schools were selected to allow for the greatest variety of teaching congregation, school organization, locality and social background. For 560 sixth-form students data were collected on parental social class and religion, their perceptions of the ideal goals of the Catholic school, attitudes to school generally, leisure activities, religious outcomes and examination performance. From 223 staff members in the same schools, data were collected on their perceptions of the schools. .The data were analysed in two distinct stages. At the first stage, McQuitty linkage checked by principal components analysis was used to form scales from the various questionnaires; at the second stage, McQuitty hierarchical linkage analysis checked by factor analysis was employed to inter-relate the scales formed at the first stage of the analysis. The second stage of the data analysis culminated in the formation of a model, which is the graphical representation of the relationships among the key variables. On student data four clearly defined elements were identified: the Students’ School Environment (School climate), Ideals and Cultural Activities, Religious Outcomes and Examination Achievement; the model shows the relationships within and between the various elements. The findings suggest that Multi-Order organization makes important differences to staff but not to students’ perceptions of the school, that Parental and School S.E.S. are negatively correlated with students’ Goal Satisfaction and Morale and that Parental Religion has important influences on students’ religious outcomes, though the school does appear to be making a contribution independent of the home. The consistent two-way relationships between achievement in religious education and in examinations/general education is compatible with the proposition that religious education can only succeed if general education succeeds. The consistent two-way relationship between achievement in religious oducation and school climate is compatible with the proposition that the content of religious education is mediated as much by procedures, teachers’ attitudes and personal relationships as by the curriculum of Christian Doctrine.