Collective worship and determination

This page provides guidance and information regarding inclusive collective worship and information and procedure for applying for a determination.

Collective worship

The legislation (Education Reform Act 1988) requires that all maintained schools must provide ‘daily collective worship for all registered pupils’ that is ‘wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character’. Collective worship should include all pupils unless parents/guardians exercise their right of withdrawal.

For more information and guidance visit the following links:

Determination

Where a headteacher considers that the requirement to provide worship that is wholly or predominately Christian could conflict with the requirement to provide worship that accords with the family backgrounds of pupils, schools can apply for a determination to lift or modify the requirement.

Before requesting a determination, a headteacher must consult the school’s governing board, who in turn may wish to seek the views of parents.

Maintained schools should apply to Ealing SACRE and academies should apply directly to the Department for Education (DfE).

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Last updated: 19 Dec 2023

Ealing Learning Partnership