A NEW proposal for schools “to hold assemblies focused on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all children”, and no longer to be religious, was the subject of a House of Lords debate last Friday.
Moved by Baroness Burt (Liberal Democrat) for its Second Reading, the Education (Assemblies) Bill had been timed out when she first proposed it, three years ago (News, 17 September 2021). It seeks to remove faith and collective worship — a legal requirement since 1944 — from schools without a religious character.
“The UK is the only Western democracy that legally imposes worship in publicly funded schools,” she said. “The Schools Standards and Framework Act require[s] all state schools that are not of a religious nature already to hold daily acts of collective worship that must be of a ‘wholly or mainly’ Christian character.”
Although it was a Private Member’s Bill, Lady Burt described it as “not a radical Bill, and it would not impact on the teaching of religion or belief in schools. It would not affect the ability of the one third of schools that are religious schools to conduct collective worship.”
She said that worship “does not uphold children’s rights under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child”, and that “the UN children’s-rights committee has for years called for the repeal of the UK’s compulsory-worship laws”.
She concluded with words from Lord Harries of Pentregarth, a former Bishop of Oxford, who had written in support of her Bill. “He said that just because he believes in the Christian faith, and to him it is of supreme importance, he sees no reason why non-religious teachers should have to conduct collective worship for pupils, many of whom would be of other religions or beliefs.”
The Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, was clear: “Collective worship is a vital part of school life. It is key to fostering a sense of fellowship and cohesion; to celebrating festivals, and not just Christian ones, and to strengthening religious literacy.
“Worship and spirituality underpin the ceremonies that shape our lives. Often, still, it is the responsibility of the Church of England to capture and make space for expression of the national mood, and many turn to faith institutions in times of life and death.” She felt that the rites around the late Queen’s death “conjured up a latent spirituality, which brought the nation together in mourning and thanksgiving. . .
“The Church of England has always sought to bring to life the rituals that define us. It has long played an integral part in educating our children . . . but, when there is no space for reflection on faith, people of all faiths feel diminished, not just Christians.”
Several speakers quoted statistics and surveys suggesting that Britain was no longer a “Christian nation”, and that many teachers would like an end to religious assemblies.
Responding officially, the Education Minister, Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour), expressed government reservations and the view that collective worship “fosters reflection on belief and societal values”. She said that “existing legislation allows schools considerable flexibility to meet their pupils’ spiritual needs while promoting the school’s ethos and values. Despite Britain’s increasingly diverse religious landscape, Christianity remains the principal religion.”
The minister echoed Dr Francis-Dehqani’s point about national meaning and “the social significance of the festivities and worship that often brings people together across the country and at particular times of both celebration and difficulty”.
She felt that “there is flexibility for exemptions within the legislation” as it stood. With creative use of both curricula and assemblies, “the flexibility to enhance pupils’ spiritual and moral growth already exists. State-funded schools are also required to promote fundamental British values [which] . . . tend to be taught across the breadth of the curriculum as well, and are reflected in behaviour policies, reinforced in assemblies, and deepened through carefully planned opportunities.”
She also said that “the definition of collective worship does not strictly require an assembly, as such.”
The Government, she said, did not see “a need to amend the current legislation on collective worship, but very much accept the arguments made about the need for our schools to be inclusive and adaptable”. The Bill now moves to the Committee Stage.
