Statutory Instruments
EDUCATION, ENGLAND
Made
12th December 2025
Coming into force
13th December 2025
The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 69(3) of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998(1) as applied in relation to independent schools by section 124B(2) of that Act.
The Secretary of State has followed the procedure specified in the Religious Character of Schools (Designation Procedure) (Independent Schools) (England) Regulations 2003(3).
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No.2) Order 2025 and comes into force on 13th December 2025.
(2) This Order extends to England and Wales.
2.—(1) The following independent schools are designated as schools having a religious character—
(a)St Thomas of Canterbury CE Primary School, EX17 6QE;
(b)Edullect Academy Independent School, RM3 8SB.
(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), Church of England;
(b)at the school designated in paragraph (1)(b), Islam.
3. The following provisions are revoked —
(a)in the Schedule to the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) Order 2003(4), the entries relating to —
(i)Queen Margaret’s School, YO19 6EU;
(ii)St Joseph’s Convent School, BB12 6TG;
(b)in the Schedule to the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No.2) Order 2003(5), the entries relating to —
(i )Barlborough Hall School, S43 4TJ;
(ii)Bishop Challoner School, BR2 0BS
(iii)Mount St Mary’s College, S21 3YL;
(iv)St John’s Beaumont, SL4 2JN;
(c)in the Schedule to the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No.3) Order 2003(6), the entry relating to Rydes Hill Preparatory School, GU2 8BP;
(d)in the Schedule to the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No.2) Order 2004(7), the entry relating to Fulneck School, LS28 8DS;
(e)in the Schedule to the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No.4) Order 2004(8), the entry relating to Ilford Ursuline Preparatory School, IG1 4QR;
(f)in the Schedule to the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No.6) Order 2004(9), the entry relating to Our Lady's Convent Senior School, OX14 3PS.
Signed on behalf of the Secretary of State
Susan Whitehouse
Deputy Director
12th December 2025
Department for Education
(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order designates the independent schools listed in article 2(1) as having the religious character specified in article 2(2).
This Order revokes the instruments listed in article 3 to the extent set out in that article. The revocations relate to independent schools that have either closed or that are no longer to be designated as a school having a religious character.
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).
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.
1998 c. 31. Section 69(3) has been amended by paragraph 35(5) of Schedule 2 to the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 (asc 4)
Section 124B was inserted by S.I. 2003/2037 and has been amended by S.I. 2012/976 and paragraph 37(3) of Schedule 2 to the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 (asc 4).
S.I. 2003/2314, amended by S.I. 2004/2262.
S.I. 2003/3108 to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.
S.I. 2003/3284 to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.
S.I. 2003/3328 to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.
S.I. 2004/354 to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.
S.I. 2004/1378 to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.
S.I. 2004/2986 to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.