Education Reform Act 1988

7 (1) In Schedule 5 to that Act (procedure for preparing and bringing into operation an agreed syllabus of religious education) the word “education” shall be substituted for the word “instruction” in each place where it occurs in paragraphs 1, 5, 6 and 9 to 11.

(2) In paragraph 2 (representative committees constituting the conference), for sub-paragraph (a) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph—

“(a) such Christian and other religious denominations as, in the opinion of the authority, will appropriately reflect the principal religious traditions in the area;”.

(3) For paragraph 12 of that Schedule there shall be substituted the following paragraphs—

“Reconsideration of agreed syllabus

12 Whenever a local education authority are of opinion (whether upon representations made to them or otherwise) that any agreed syllabus for the time being adopted by them ought to be reconsidered, the authority shall cause to be convened for that purpose a conference constituted in accordance with the provisions of this Schedule.

13 (1) The following provisions of this paragraph apply where a local education authority cause such a conference to be convened for the purpose of reconsidering any agreed syllabus, whether under paragraph 12 of this Schedule or under section 11(8) of the Education Reform Act 1988 (obligation of authority to cause such a conference to be convened if required to do so by representative groups on standing advisory council for religious education).

(2) If the conference unanimously recommend that the existing syllabus should continue to be the agreed syllabus, the authority may give effect to the recommendation.

(3) If—

(a) the conference unanimously recommend a new syllabus to be adopted in substitution for the existing syllabus; and

(b) it appears to the authority that the new syllabus complies with section 8(3) of that Act (new agreed syllabus to reflect mainly Christian religious traditions);

the authority may give effect to the recommendation.

(4) If either—

(a) the authority report to the Secretary of State that the conference are unable to reach unanimous agreement; or

(b) it appears to the Secretary of State that the authority have failed to exercise their power under sub-paragraph (2) or (3) above to give effect to the unanimous recommendation of the conference;

the Secretary of State shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 10 of this Schedule, and paragraph 11 of this Schedule shall apply accordingly.”