A couple who threatened to take a school to the High Court over its religious assemblies won their fight for alternative provision for their children, it was reported in November.
The couple, Lee and Lizianne Harris withdrew their two children from assemblies at Burford Primary School in Oxfordshire over fears they were being ‘indoctrinated’.
The case is an unusual one, as the school had formally been a non-religious state school when they had enrolled their children, but it was then taken into the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust.
When religious collective worship (assembly) commenced, and the children were introduced to the crucifixion, the parents were granted their request to withdraw their children. The school will now offer alternative activities for a total of ten children not taking part in collective worship.
The Trust said these alternative activities will lapse when the youngest child leaves school.
The couple said they were ‘delighted the school had backed down’ and added: ‘Ultimately, we took this case to ensure our children receive an inclusive education without the indoctrination of one enforced religion.’
Anne Dellar, chief executive of the Trust, said it took the ‘pragmatic decision to avoid wholly unnecessary court costs’. She said: ‘While recognising every parent’s right to withdraw their child from collective worship, we are saddened that this case has diverted valuable funds and staff time.’
The organisation Humanists UK, which backed the family, has called for the law requiring daily religious worship to be replaced with inclusive assemblies. They referred pejoratively to church schools ‘hoovering up’ state schools.
