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The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (England) Order 2026

S.I. 2026/938 · Made 26 August 2026

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

EDUCATION, ENGLAND

Made 26th August 2026

Coming into force 27th August 2026

The Secretary of State makes this Order in the exercise of the power conferred by section 69(3) and (4) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998f1.

The Secretary of State has followed the procedure specified in the Religious Character of Schools (Designation Procedure) Regulations 1998f2.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

1998 c. 31. Section 69(3) has been amended by paragraph 35 of Schedule 2 to the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 (asc. 4). By virtue of S.I. 1999/672, the powers conferred by these provisions are exercisable by the Secretary of State only in relation to England.

f2

S.I. 1998/2535; to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.

Contents

  1. 1Citation, commencement and extent
  2. 2Designation of schools
  3. Signature
  4. Explanatory note

1Citation, commencement and extent

(1)

This Order may be cited as the Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (England) Order 2026 and comes into force on 27th August 2026.

(2)

This Order extends to England and Wales.

2Designation of schools

(1)

Barnet Hill Academy, Barnet, NW4 3ES, a voluntary aided school, is designated as a school having a religious character.

(2)

The religion in accordance with whose tenets religious education is, or may be, required to be provided in accordance with Schedule 19 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998f1, is Islam.

Signature

Signed on behalf of the Secretary of State

Lorna Howarth

Deputy Director

Department for Education

26th August 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order designates Barnet Hill Academy, Barnet, NW4 3ES, a voluntary aided school, as having the religious character specified in article 2(2) in accordance with section 69(3) and (4) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (“the Act”).

Designation as a school which has religious character is relevant for a number of purposes under the Act, notably:

  1. (a)

    as part of the mechanism for determining the form of religious education to be provided under Schedule 19 to the Act;

  2. (b)

    as part of the mechanism for determining the form of collective worship to be provided under Schedule 20 to the Act; and

  3. (c)

    as part of the mechanism for determining school staffing matters under sections 58 to 60 of the Act.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.