http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/967The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No. 1) Order 2012Independent schoolsSchool performance and standardsFaith schoolsTeachers and school staffenEDUCATION, ENGLANDStatute Law Database2026-07-20Expert Participation2016-03-31 This Order designates the independent schools listed in the Schedule as having a religious character. 2012 No. 967 Education, England The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (<Abbreviation Expansion="Number">No.</Abbreviation> 1) Order 2012 Made 28th March 2012

The Secretary of State for Education makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 69(3) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, as applied in relation to independent schools by section 124B(1) of that Act.

 In making this Order the Secretary of State has followed the procedure specified in the Religious Character of Schools (Designation Procedure) (Independent Schools) (England) Regulations 2003. Citation 1 This Order may be cited as the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No. 1) Order 2012. Interpretation 2 In this Order“the relevant religion or religious denomination” means the religion or religious denomination in accordance with whose tenets education is provided at the school or the school is conducted. Designation of schools 3 1 The schools listed in column (1) of the Schedule are designated as schools having a religious character. 2 The relevant religion or religious denomination in relation to a school listed in column (1) of the Schedule is specified in relation to that school in column (2). P S A Jones A Deputy Director in the Department for Education 28th March 2012 SCHEDULESchools having a religious characterArticle 3
(1)Name and postcode of school(2)Relevant religion or religious denomination
Buckinghamshire
The Aylesbury Vale Academy HP19 9PGChurch of England
Newham
. . .. . .
Nottinghamshire
Queen Elizabeth’s Academy NG19 7APChurch of England
 EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order designates the independent schools listed in the Schedule as having a religious character.

Under section 124A of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, independent schools which are so designated are permitted to take account of certain religious or denominational considerations in making specified employment decisions which relate to teaching staff (such as decisions on appointment or promotion).

Designation by this Order is not of itself a means of acquiring a religious character or of changing religious character. Designation is the recognition of certain existing attributes of the school or its governing body as described in the Religious Character of Schools (Designation Procedure) (Independent Schools) (England) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2314, as amended by S.I. 2004/2262).

 1998 c. 31. Section 124B was inserted by the Independent Schools (Employment of Teachers in Schools with a Religious Character) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2037). S.I. 2003/2314, as amended by S.I. 2004/2262. Art. 1 in force at made dateArt. 2 in force at made dateArt. 3 in force at made dateSch. in force at made dateWords in Sch. revoked (31.3.2016) by The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/477), arts. 1, 3, Sch.