2021 No. 968
Education, England

The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) Order 2021

Made
Coming into force
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 19981, as applied in relation to independent schools by section 124B(1)2 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 20033.

Citation and commencement1.

This Order may be cited as the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) Order 2021 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

Extent and application2.

This Order extends to England and Wales, and applies to England.

Designation of schools3.

(1)

The following independent schools are designated as schools having a religious character—

(a)

Trinity Academy St Edward’s, Barnsley, S70 2EX;

(b)

Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy, Birmingham, B14 4HN;

(c)

Windrush Church of England Primary School, Oxfordshire, OX29 7DL;

(d)

Kingfisher CE Academy, Swindon, SN1 7DA;

(e)

St Michael’s Church of England Academy, Torbay, TQ4 5EW.

(2)

The religion or religious denomination in accordance with whose tenets education is provided, or the school is conducted, is, at the schools designated in paragraph (1), Church of England.

Signed on behalf of the Secretary of State

Lesley Jones
Deputy Director
Department for Education
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order designates the independent schools listed in article 3(1) as having the religious character specified in article 3(2).

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 when making specified employment decisions relating 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).

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.