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Education and Inspections Bill

moved Amendment No. 104: After Clause 71, insert the following new clause- ““REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO COLLECTIVE WORSHIP (1) SSFA 1998 is amended as follows. (2) For section 70(1) substitute- ““(1) Each pupil in attendance at a community, foundation or voluntary school shall on each school day take part in an assembly, which shall further his spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.”” (3) For subsection (3) of that section substitute- ““(3) The arrangements for the assembly required by subsection (1) may, in respect of each school day, provide for a single assembly for all pupils or separate assemblies for pupils in different age groups or in different school groups. (4) For the purposes of subsection (3) a ““school group”” is any group in which pupils are taught or take part in other school activities. (5) Subject to section 71, in the case of a voluntary aided school of a religious character, the foundation governors or governing body may make arrangements for religious worship as a part of assemblies. (6) The religious worship referred to in subsection (5) shall be in accordance with the trust deed relating to the school or, where provision for that purpose is not made by such a deed, in accordance with the tenets and practices of the religion or religious denomination specified in relation to the school under section 69(4). (7) Subject to subsection (8), the religious worship referred to in subsection (5) shall take place on the school premises. (8) If the governing body of a voluntary aided school of a religious character are of the opinion that it is desirable that an act of religious worship should, on a special occasion, take place elsewhere than on the school premises, they may, after consultation with the head teacher, make such arrangements for that purpose as they think appropriate.”” (4) For section 71(1) substitute- ““(1) If the parent of a pupil at a community, foundation or voluntary school or a city technology college or an Academy requests that he may be wholly or partly excused- (a) from receiving religious education given (in the case of a maintained school) in the school in accordance with the school's basic curriculum or (in the case of city technology college or an Academy) in accordance with arrangements made by the governing body or head teacher of the college or Academy, (b) from attendance at any religious worship in (as the case may be) the school, college or Academy, or (c) both from receiving such education and from such attendance, the pupil shall be so excused until the request is withdrawn.”” (5) In subsection (2)(b) of that section, for ““paragraph 2(6) of Schedule 20”” substitute ““section 70(8)””. (6) For paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (7) of that section substitute- ““(a) receives religious education or is withdrawn from receiving such education or from attendance at such religious worship as is provided in accordance with the wishes of his parent, and (b) attends assemblies.”” (7) Schedule 20 is hereby repealed.”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, I am grateful that the amendment has now been tabled in a separate group, and is not part of the large group on faith issues in schools that we considered last week. This will avoid the overlaps and confusions that we had when we last discussed collective worship. Collective worship is an important issue. I do not intend to repeat the arguments advanced last week; I shall simply try to put the nub of the argument to your Lordships. Many faith organisations, teacher organisations and parent organisations support the reform of collective worship in schools. They want collective worship to be replaced by inclusive assemblies that are meaningful to pupils. I do not want to abolish assemblies with a spiritual nature—indeed, the amendment does not seek to ban religious worship—but the organisations that I have just mentioned do not agree to assemblies that are entirely about worship. Spiritual worship in assemblies is good for the school ethos and morale, but it is quite unsuitable and impractical to insist that all schools must conduct worship in assemblies. Many are already technically breaking the law by not doing so. Will the Minister confirm that the DfES is considering collective worship? It is not a complicated issue. It is a sensible reform that would free schools to be creative and to deliver inspiring assemblies that are relevant to young people’s lives. They may include discussion of the teaching of many religions as well as discussion of behaviour, values and social issues. The Minister has clarified the position on pupils being excused from religious education, and we should reconsider the issue at a high level. I beg to move.