Orders of the Day — Clause 70 — LEAs in England: provision of travel arrangements etc for children — 2 Nov 2006 at 15:30

The majority Ayes agreed with an amendment made by the Lords (Amendment no. 29 here), which inserts before Clause 36 of the Education and Inspections Bill a new clause which says:

“Staff at foundation or voluntary schools with religious character

(1) In section 58 of SSFA 1998 (appointment and dismissal of certain teachers at schools with a religious character), omit subsection (4) (which prevents the head teacher of a foundation or voluntary controlled school being a reserved teacher).

(2) In section 60 of SSFA 1998 (staff at foundation or voluntary school with religious character)—

(a) in subsection (4), after “(whether foundation or voluntary controlled)” insert “in a case where the head teacher is not to be a reserved teacher”, and

(b) in subsection (6), after “voluntary aided school” insert “in Wales”.”

The effect of this amendment is to allow faith schools to include the head teacher post within the quota of staff who can be required to be a member of the faith. SSFA 1998 is the School Standards and Framework Act 1998; section 60 subsection (6) says "If the school is a voluntary aided school, no person shall be disqualified by reason of his religious opinions, or of his attending or omitting to attend religious worship, from being employed for the purposes of the school otherwise than as a teacher"; inserting "in Wales" removes the protections of this subsection from people employed by schools in England.

Debate in Parliament | Source |