School Standards and Framework Act 1998

Section 70.

SCHEDULE 20E+W Collective worship

IntroductoryE+W

1E+WIn this Schedule “the required collective worship”, in relation to a school, means the collective worship in that school which is required by section 70.

General provisions as to collective worshipE+W

2(1)This paragraph applies to any community, foundation or voluntary school.E+W

(2)The arrangements for the required collective worship may, in respect of each school day, provide for a single act of worship for all pupils or for separate acts of worship for pupils in different age groups or in different school groups.

(3)For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2) a “school group” is any group in which pupils are taught or take part in other school activities.

(4)Subject to sub-paragraph (6), the arrangements for the required collective worship shall be made—

(a)if the school is a community school or a foundation school which does not have a religious character, by the head teacher after consulting the governing body;

(b)if the school is a foundation school which has a religious character or a voluntary school, by the governing body after consulting the head teacher.

(5)Subject to sub-paragraph (6), the required collective worship shall take place on the school premises.

(6)If the governing body of a community, foundation or voluntary school are of the opinion that it is desirable that any act of collective worship in the school required by section 70 should, on a special occasion, take place elsewhere than on the school premises, they may, after consultation with the head teacher, make such arrangements for that purpose as they think appropriate.

(7)The powers of a governing body under sub-paragraph (6) shall not be exercised so as to derogate from the rule that the required collective worship must normally take place on the school premises.

Nature of collective worship in community schools and foundation schools without a religious characterE+W

3(1)This paragraph applies to—E+W

(a)any community school; and

(b)any foundation school which does not have a religious character.

(2)Subject to paragraph 4, the required collective worship shall be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character.

(3)For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2), collective worship is of a broadly Christian character if it reflects the broad traditions of Christian belief without being distinctive of any particular Christian denomination.

(4)Not every act of collective worship in the school required by section 70 need comply with sub-paragraph (2) provided that, taking any school term as a whole, most such acts which take place in the school do comply with that sub-paragraph.

(5)Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (4)—

(a)the extent to which (if at all) any acts of collective worship required by section 70 which do not comply with sub-paragraph (2) take place in the school,

(b)the extent to which any act of collective worship in the school which complies with sub-paragraph (2) reflects the broad traditions of Christian belief, and

(c)the ways in which those traditions are reflected in any such act of collective worship,

shall be such as may be appropriate having regard to any relevant considerations relating to the pupils concerned which fall to be taken into account in accordance with sub-paragraph (6).

(6)Those considerations are—

(a)any circumstances relating to the family backgrounds of the pupils which are relevant for determining the character of the collective worship which is appropriate in their case, and

(b)their ages and aptitudes.

(7)In this paragraph references to acts of collective worship in the school include such acts which by virtue of paragraph 2(6) take place otherwise than on the school premises.

Disapplication of requirement under paragraph 3(2)E+W

4(1)This paragraph applies where a standing advisory council [F1on religious education] [F1constituted under section 390 of the Education Act 1996] have determined (under section 394 of the M1Education Act 1996) that it is not appropriate for the requirement imposed by paragraph 3(2) to apply in the case of any school to which paragraph 3 applies or in the case of any class or description of pupils at any such school.E+W

(2)While the determination has effect—

(a)paragraph 3 shall not apply in relation to the school or (as the case may be) the pupils in question, and

(b)the collective worship required by section 70 in the case of the school or pupils shall not be distinctive of any particular Christian or other religious denomination;

but paragraph (b) shall not be taken as preventing that worship from being distinctive of any particular faith.

Nature of collective worship in foundation schools with a religious character and voluntary schoolsE+W

5E+WIn the case of a foundation school which has a religious character or a voluntary school, the required collective worship shall be—

(a)in accordance with any provisions of the trust deed relating to the school, or

(b)where—

(i)provision for that purpose is not made by such a deed, and

(ii)the school has a religious character,

in accordance with the tenets and practices of the religion or religious denomination specified in relation to the school under section [F268A or] 69(4).