SI 2026/938 - The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (England) Order 2026

S TAT U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S 2026 No. 938 EDUCATION, ENGLAND The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character

(England) Order 2026 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 1998(a).

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

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(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.

Designation of schools

2.—(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 1998(c), is Islam.

(a) 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.

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

(c) Schedule 19 was amended by paragraph 117 of Schedule 21 to the Education Act 2002 (c. 32) and S.I. 2010/1158 and by paragraph 42 of Schedule 2 to the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 (asc. 4).Signed on behalf of the Secretary of State Lorna Howarth Deputy Director 26th August 2026 Department for Education 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:

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

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

(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. © Crown Copyright 2026 Printed and published in the UK by The Stationery Office Limited under the authority and superintendence of Saul Nassé, Controller of His Majesty’s Stationery Office and King’s Printer of Acts of Parliament.

£6.40

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2026/938