2023 No. 339

Education, England

The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) Order 2023

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, commencement, extent and application

1

This Order may be cited as the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) Order 2023 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

2

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

Noorul Uloom, Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 3NY;

b

St Gabriel’s CofE Primary School, Devon, EX4 2BY;

c

St Cecilia’s Church of England Primary School, Wokingham, RG41 1BJ;

d

Beech Grove School, Kent, CT15 4FB;

e

The King Alfred School, Dudley, DY3 2AU.

2

The religion or religious denomination in accordance with whose tenets education is provided, or the school is conducted, is—

a

at the school designated in paragraph 1(a), Islam;

b

at the schools designated in paragraphs 1(b) and (c), Church of England;

c

at the schools designated in paragraphs 1(d) and (e), Christian.

Revocations4

The following provisions are revoked—

a

in the Schedule to the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No. 2) Order 20044, the entry relating to Ockbrook School;

b

in the Schedule to the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No. 3) Order 20055, the entry relating to Olive Secondary School.

Signed on behalf of the Secretary of State

Susan WhitehouseDeputy DirectorDepartment 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). Article 4 of this Order revokes the instruments listed in article 4 to the extent set out in that article. All revocations relate to schools that have closed.

Under section 124A of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, independent schools which are 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.