Thousands of children are languishing in unregistered faith schools.
These schools prioritise fundamentalist religion over the education and welfare of children.
The scandal of unregistered schools must be addressed.
Some religious institutions operate schools which are not registered with the Department for Education, despite this being a legal requirement.
Schools are left unregistered to avoid regulations and inspections, so they can teach a very narrow, religion-based curriculum without oversight. This severely limits children's future options, as children leave these schools with very poor literacy, no formal qualifications and no skills or experience for life in modern Britain.
The lack of scrutiny also presents major safeguarding concerns. Children have been taught in unsafe conditions and subjected to physical punishment in these schools. The curriculum may also teach extremist, regressive and discriminatory dogma.
In 2019, Ofsted estimated as many as 6,000 children were being educated in unregistered settings. But the number could be even higher. Approximately 86,300 children and young people were electively home educated nationally during the year 2019/20. There is little regulation of home education, so many of these children could in fact be attending an unregistered school.
Some unregistered schools exploit loopholes in the law to avoid registration and operate at the margins of the law as an "out of school educational setting". Although many out of school settings, including tuition centres and supplementary schools, provide an excellence service, a minority put children's welfare at risk.
We are working to end the harms caused by unregistered schools by campaigning for greater powers for Ofsted tackle these settings, the elimination of loopholes to force more schools to register, and improved regulation of elective home education.
Take action!
1. Suspect an unregistered school? Report it!
Unregistered schools are illegal and pose a serious threat to children's wellbeing. If you think you know of a possible unregistered school, please report it to the schools inspectorate Ofsted.
If you are aware of children in imminent danger, please call 999 and inform the police.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join us
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Widespread support for inclusive secular schooling in Hackney
Posted: Tue, 12 Dec 2017 13:36
A consultation on educational proposals by the London borough of Hackney has revealed extensive support for inclusive secular education, with just 6% of residents supporting denominational schooling.
The consultation by Hackney Council, which ran from 28 November 2016 to 21 July 2017 and received over 2,500 responses, asked respondents if they agreed or disagreed with a number of policy proposals for schools in the borough. Eighty-three per cent of respondents agreed that "Hackney schools should be non-denominational".
Respondents felt that Hackney schools had "comparatively low segregation between pupils from different backgrounds" and this should "be safeguarded by the local authority". The consultation comes after 15 years of school reform in the borough and echoes responses from a 2003 a survey of residents at the beginning of the process which showed "clear demand for non-selective, non-denominational, mixed-sex comprehensive schools".
The religion and belief makeup of the respondents was broadly in line with British averages (as judged by the British Social Attitudes Survey), and the report showed no correlation between respondents' religious beliefs and support for non-denominational schooling.
The National Secular Society's faith schools campaigner, Alastair Lichten, said: "Efforts to paint opposition to faith based schools as an 'atheist issue' or anti-theist cause just don't fly. While the non-religious majority do face particular discrimination by faith schools, support for non-denominational inclusive schools is broad across all religion and belief groups. Whatever their religious backgrounds the vast majority of people are more concerned by educational standards than religious inculcation when choosing their child's school."
Members of the borough's Charedi Jewish community had called for a boycott of the consultation, claiming that asking for views on illegal schools and non-denominational schooling was 'anti-religious'. A consultation event with members of the Charedi community revealed suspicion of the Council's efforts to tackle illegal unregistered schooling.
Respondents claimed that the borough's general school provision was not "of interest to their community" and that they should be "engaged in a bespoke way" – something the NSS described as "the very definition of insular".
Elsewhere in the consultation, 65% of residents say they were concerned with unregistered (illegal) schools. Seventy-seven per cent supported compulsory registration of home school pupils to stop them disappearing from the education system.
One resident told the consultation: "I am concerned about the number of unregistered faith schools in the borough which do not appear to be regulated by local or national bodies; do not provide a broad curriculum and whose buildings are not safe or fit for purpose."
Mr Lichten added: "It's disappointing to see a religious community again painting efforts to protect children's educational rights as an attack on them. Overall the consultation is positive news. Hackney like many areas of the country needs to increase its school provision. Given the country's changing religious demographics and opposition to religiously segregated schools, these new schools should not be based around religious identity, but should be welcoming to all.
"We will be working with supporters across the UK to help them pressure their local authorities to safeguard and expand inclusive secular school provision."
Ofsted boss commits to tackling illegal schools
Posted: Mon, 3 Jul 2017 16:47
The National Secular Society has welcomed a commitment by OFSTED's chief inspector to protect children in unregistered faith schools.
This weekend Amanda Spielman said the schools inspectorate would "do everything we can" to ensure schools comply with the law, including closing those operating illegally. She also called for the introduction of new laws to tackle unregistered schools.
"It is clear that weaknesses in current legislation allow some organisations to teach school-aged children religious texts full-time and avoid proper scrutiny," she said. "Action is also needed now to protect the children who attend these places."
The trend has led to concerns that children are receiving a narrow and intolerant education which often endangers their safety. One former pupil of a Hasidic Jewish school in north London told the Sunday Times that teachers had hit him on a "daily basis" for minor infractions such as asking difficult questions. Elsewhere inspectors have noted squalid conditions and failures to comply with fire regulations.
Since January 2016 inspectors have identified 286 schools suspected of operating illegally in England. They have inspected 116 and issued 36 warning notices. In February Ofsted told the National Secular Society that it suspected at least 20 of the first 24 schools to receive notices had a religious ethos. These included Muslim, Jewish and Christian fundamentalist centres. Ofsted added that it is not always possible to determine a school's religious character.
Last month Spielman told the Festival of Education that she had "exactly the same zeal and passion" for tackling extremism as her predecessor, Sir Michael Wilshaw. Under Wilshaw's leadership, Ofsted created a taskforce on unregistered schools and began publishing regular advice to the education secretary on the issue.
Spielman also said schooling should be based on "the active promotion of British values" and explain to children "how they make us a beacon of liberalism, tolerance and fairness to the rest of the world".
The National Secular Society has long campaigned for tougher action on unregistered faith schools. Recently there have been signs that its message is being heard. In March Lord Nash, the schools minister, told NSS that the government "shares your concerns about unregistered schools which are illegal, unsafe and are denying pupils a good education".
Today Stephen Evans, NSS campaigns director, said: "Amanda Spielman's willingness to confront unregistered faith schools, and call for government action, are encouraging. For too long policy makers turned a blind eye to this problem. The wishes of religious communities must not be allowed to trump young people's right to an inclusive education which opens their minds."
