Catholic dioceses face accusations of refusing to appoint governors who fail to back their academisation plans

Controversies building in dioceses of Westminster and Lancaster, where many schools have still not converted, years after bishops’ academisation plans were first set out.

Two Roman Catholic dioceses are facing the ire of governors, headteachers and staff in increasingly bitter stand-offs over what appear to be “forced academy” controversies within their schools.

Allegations have emerged that the Diocese of Westminster is refusing to appoint to the governing bodies of local authority schools which are unwilling to start the process of academisation.

The National Association of Head Teachers has even alleged that consequent vacancies on governing bodies could put school safeguarding at risk. That diocese has yet to respond to an invitation to comment on the issue.

In Lancashire, two sources have said that the Diocese of Lancashire is not renewing the appointments of governors who have not been supportive of academisation. One school there was on strike last week over the diocese’s academisation move, with another poised to join it in September.

Controversies within Roman Catholic academy chains have been a feature of this website’s reporting in 2025-26, including coverage last month of a priest’s scorching critique of the trust system.