| SPOTLIGHT |
The High Court has granted a judicial review to a couple concerned that their children were not being offered an adequate alternative to a daily act of worship at their school assemblies.
The parents withdrew their two children from assemblies at Burford Primary School in Oxfordshire after they were made to pray and watch bible re-enactments. Formerly a local authority community school, Burford Primary became an academy in 2015, joining The Church of England's Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust (ODST), which went on to introduce the collective worship programme.
In their challenge, the children’s parents, Lee and Lizanne Harris, say that their children expressed unhappiness at watching various bible stories being acted out as part of collective worship. The couple asked that the school provide an alternative education of equal worth during Burford Primary's assemblies. Instead, the Harrises said that their children were left in a room with an iPad and a teaching assistant.
Represented by law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn, the case (Lee and Lizanne Harris v Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust) will be heard on 29th November 2019, and is believed to be the first case on school worship to reach the High Court. They will argue that schools should be required to provide a meaningful alternative to collective worship of ‘equal educational worth’ that instead focuses on advancing the spiritual, moral, cultural, and social development of all pupils regardless of religion or belief.
Humanists UK, which is supporting the couple’s legal challenge, added that the parents were also concerned that, during assemblies, stories of God and Christianity are presented to pupils as ‘fact’ and ‘truth’ and that visiting church officials express harmful views to children.
Head Master, Jenny Dryer wrote on the school’s website that Burford Primary’s Wednesday assemblies are organised by “the Children’s Coordinator at Burford Church, whereby Bible Stories are read and brought to life through interactive drama using mime, costume, props, puppets and sound effects with the children also getting involved.”
A statement from the ODST said that: “Collective worship, which is a statutory requirement in all church and community schools, is aimed at encouraging pupils to develop a sense of mystery, awe and wonder about the world. This is all done through listening to stories from a wide range of different cultures and religions, giving time for children to think about themselves, and the contribution they all make to our society.”
It said that it was “confident that Burford primary school, as a community school, has acted entirely appropriately, and has followed all statutory requirements”.
