The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014

Statutory Instruments

2014 No. 2374

Education, England

The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014

Made

4th September 2014

Laid before Parliament

8th September 2014

Coming into force

29th September 2014

The Secretary of State for Education makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 157(1) and 210(7) of the Education Act 2002(1).

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 and come into force on 29th September 2014.

Amendment to the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010

2.—(1) The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010(2) are amended as follows.

(2) In Part 2 of Schedule 1 (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils), for paragraph 5 substitute—

“5.   The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school is met if the proprietor—

(a) actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs;

(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which—

(i) enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;

(ii) enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;

(iii) encourage pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated and to society more widely;

(iv) enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;

(v) further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures;

(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010(3); and

(vii) encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England;

(c) precludes the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school; and

(d) takes such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils—

(i) while they are in attendance at the school;

(ii) while they are taking part in extra-curricular activities which are provided or organised by or on behalf of the school; or

(iii) in the promotion at the school, including through the distribution of promotional material, of extra-curricular activities taking place at the school or elsewhere;

they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views.”.

John Nash

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Education

4th September 2014

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010 (“the 2010 Regulations”), which make provision for the standards for independent schools for the purposes of Part 10 of the Education Act 2002.

Regulation 2 amends Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the 2010 Regulations, which makes provision in relation to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. The standard has been amended so as to require a proprietor of an independent school to actively promote British values.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument because no, or no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

(1)

2002 c.32. For the meaning of “prescribed” and “regulations” see section 212(1).

(2)

S.I. 2010/1997, as amended by S.I. 2012/979 and S.I. 2012/2962.

(3)

2010 c.15.