Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to conduct a review of the statutory requirements for daily collective worship in schools.
Answered by Jonathan Gullis
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The Department has read and considered the legislative framework for teaching religious education in Northern Ireland and is of the view that it is not authoritative on the teaching of religious education or delivery of collective worship in England.
The Department currently has no plans to amend or repeal the legal duty on schools to provide a daily act of collective worship. The Government believes that the law in England is both inclusive and flexible in allowing all schools to tailor their provision to suit their pupils’ needs and it provides a unique opportunity for schools to develop and celebrate their ethos and values. Collective worship also allows schools the opportunity to promote the moral and social development of their pupils in a way that best suits the needs of the community.