Religion
Discrimination on grounds of religion and belief:
guidance for schools
Part 2 of the Equality Act 2006: Discrimination on Grounds of Religion
or Belief comes into force on 30 April 2007. The provisions of the Act make
discrimination in the area of goods, facilities and services on grounds of
religion or belief unlawful.
For schools this means admissions, benefits and services for pupils, and treatment of pupils. For local authorities the provisions extend to the exercise of their functions.
Due to the nature and history of religious content in relation to school education, there are some limited exceptions from the provisions in certain areas and these, together with the responsibilities under the provisions, are fully explained in the guidance document for schools.
Religion and the curriculum
Teachers of Religious Education (RE) can play a crucial role in
highlighting the issue of religious discrimination and promoting understanding
and tolerance of different faiths, and the framework for Religious Education
supports these goals. The national curriculum outlines a programme of study for RE which is complemented by
information on the schemes of work for Religious Education for Key Stages 1 and 2 and Key Stage 3.
Read about how faith schools around the country have set up links with schools of other religions in order to enable pupils to gain greater understanding of the teachings of other faiths.
