| Repeal of law on collective worship in state schools |
| In February 2020 we wrote to every MP whose constituency was in Lancashire and asked for their comments on this subject. Sadly, most MPs declined to respond, but we did get two detailed responses. These fell into direct opposition to each other, with one being entirely supportive of the idea and one reluctant to see any change (indeed holding the idea that it should be enforced more strongly to force children to pray at school). Our view is that this is an important first step to making state education more inclusive for all. School assemblies should be an opportunity to create a better community atmosphere and can be a good environment to address ethical and moral issues without leaning to any particular religious view. |
There is no reason that such an inclusive assembly can have an appropriate time for anyone to silently pray or meditate, but no coercion to pray should be involved. Whilst under current law all parents have the right to withdraw their child from the collective worship, this is far from ideal and many do not take up the choice (or perhaps are unaware of the option). Indeed, in 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the right to withdrawal placed an “undue burden” on parents. Under the right to withdraw, it is only the parents who are allowed to apply for this. The child has no say on the matter. So if the child decided that they were not religious, but their parents were religious – then they may find themselves with no voice for their position on the subject. Clearly, if Collective Worship is to continue to be forced on schools by law then the system should switch to an “opt in” principle. But the best outcome, would be for Collective Worship to be relegated to history and no longer enforced. |
| National Secular and Humanist Campaigns |
Assisted Dying  |
| Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill A Bill to allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life; and for connected purposes. The Bill is currently being discussed in the House of Lord, prior to return to the Commons. At the time of writing, there are reports of a very small minority of Peers who have tabled about 1,000 amendments. The House of Lords spent nearly five hours last Friday debating the Bill, but only made it through seven amendments out of nearly 1,000 tabled so far. Opponents of the Bill dominated the debate, speaking for three-quarters of it. At that rate, it would take over two decades to pass the House of Lords. As the Assisted Dying Bill is a private members’ bill and not part of a government manifesto commitment, if it does not complete its passage before the next King’s Speech – expected in the spring – then it would fail entirely. Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision believe this would be egregious, as most of the public supports a change in the law, and the Commons has voted in favour with a clear majority. |
| State Schools of “religious character” |
| In the NW of England we have probably the highest proportion of schools that are assigned “religious character”. This includes all those that you see every day, with titles like “Saint Whatever Church of England School”. There is no good reason for all our state schools (funded by the government) to be all of a non-religious character. Raise that idea with someone who is religious and the most common reaction would be as if you had proposed driving a metal rod through the head of their children. The idea of modernising our education system, to better reflect our modern society, is one that a powerful minority are strongly against. They find it too difficult to imagine that our schools can not only educate on subjects, but also establish good ethics amongst the students, without using religion. Yet around the county I have been into multiple schools that have an amazing ethos, despite not being a “church school”. It is possible. The staff in these schools are fantastic. We do not have to look back to the 1950s and think that this is how we need to keep our schools. Too many non-religious families find that, because of the location that they live in, they have no choice but to send their child to a “church school” or face the difficulty of a long journey to a school that has no religious character. Many parents go to the trouble of having their children baptised (even though they have no religious belief) because this will make it possible for their child to go to a nearby school with their young friends – just because “church schools” can be selective over pupils being accepted and priority is given to those who pretend to be part of that religious community. No doubt, the churches know what is going on, but hope that by being able to indoctrinate the pupils from a young age that they will be able to convert many of them. If this the hope then the Church of England is failing badly at this – the last British Social Attitudes Survey had those 18-24 years old (the youngest group that they can survey) who identified as being Church of England at <1%. The establishment will resist this, but we believe it is time to make all schools to be Community Schools – with no selection based on perceived religious affiliation. |
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