Education and Skills Act 2008 (c. 25)

Part 4 E+W Regulation and inspection of independent educational provision in England

Chapter 2 E+W Schools providing for special educational needs

Non-maintained special schools in England E+W

143 Right of sixth-form pupils to opt out of religious worship E+W

(1) Section 342 of the Education Act 1996 is amended as follows.

(2) After subsection (5) insert—

“(5A) Regulations shall make provision for securing that, so far as practicable, every pupil attending a school in England that is approved under this section—

(a) receives religious education unless withdrawn from receiving such education in accordance with the wishes of the pupil's parent, and

(b) attends religious worship unless withdrawn from attendance at such worship—

(i) in the case of a sixth-form pupil, in accordance with the pupil's own wishes, and

(ii) in any other case, in accordance with the wishes of the pupil's parent.

(5B) In subsection (5A) “a sixth-form pupil” means a pupil who—

(a) has ceased to be of compulsory school age, and

(b) is receiving education suitable to the requirements of pupils over compulsory school age.”

(3) In subsection (6) for “special school” substitute “ school in Wales that is ”.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 143 in force at 30.3.2010 by S.I. 2010/1093, art. 2(a)