THE DFE GOVERNORS' HANDBOOK, REVISED AND RELEASED ON 11.9.14

http://www.nga.org.uk/getattachment/Guidance/Legislation,policies-and-procedures/Government-advice-and-guidance/Governors-Guide-to-the-Law/Governors_Handbook_Sept2014.pdf.aspx

THE DFE GOVERNORS' HANDBOOK, REVISED AND RELEASED ON 11.9.14

USEFUL NEW TEXT FROM THE DFE GOVERNORS' HANDBOOK, REVISED AND RELEASED ON 11.9.14

3.1.2 Religious education

All state-funded schools must teach religious education. Maintained schools without a religious character should follow the syllabus agreed by the local Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

Voluntary aided schools with a religious character should provide RE in accordance with the trust deed or religious designation of the school, unless parents request the locally agreed syllabus.

Foundation schools and voluntary controlled schools with a religious character should follow the locally agreed syllabus, unless parents request RE in accordance with the trust deed or religious designation of the school.

Religious education is also compulsory in faith and non-faith academies and free schools as set out in their funding agreements.


3.1.3 Collective worship


All maintained schools without a religious character must provide a daily act of broadly Christian collective worship for their pupils. In community schools and non-faith foundation schools, the head teacher is responsible for arranging this after consulting the 46

governing body. In voluntary aided schools, voluntary controlled schools and foundation schools with a religious character, the governing body is responsible for arranging collective worship in accordance with the trust deed or religious designation of the school after consulting the head teacher.

In some maintained schools without a religious character, the family backgrounds of some or all pupils may lead the head teacher and governing body to conclude that broadly Christian collective worship is not appropriate. The head teacher can apply to the local SACRE to have the broadly Christian requirement disapplied and replaced by collective worship distinctive of another faith and should consult the governing body before doing so.

Academies and free schools without a religious character must also provide a daily act of broadly Christian collective worship by virtue of their funding agreement. An academy or free school wishing to have the broadly Christian requirement disapplied and replaced by collective worship distinctive of another faith should apply to the Secretary of State via the EFA.
previous version of the doc
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270398/Governors-Handbook-January-2014.pdf