Yahoo News State schools could scrap Christian assemblies after London council changes rules
A London council has become the first to formally allow its schools to hold non-Christian assemblies.
Brent council has said state schools can hold assemblies based on other faiths, the first area to do so.
Non-faith schools are legally required to hold one Christian assembly a day, but can be exempt if the local authority's committee applies for an exemption.
The Labour-run council's committee has decided to allow schools to hold multi-faith assemblies which draw on lots of different religions as well as non-religious views.
Supporters say other councils will now follow suit - with other London and city-centre areas expected to move first.
The rules have previously been criticised by secular and other religious groups, and are rarely enforced.
Last year the United Nations said that the assemblies contravened children's human rights.
In 2004 Ofsted found that 76 per cent of schools were not following the law, and told inspectors to stop considering it.
Multi-faith group the Accord Coalition awarded the council its Inclusivity Award, which rewards those who "promote inclusivity and integration at state funded schools".
Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, minister of Maidenhead Synagogue in Berkshire, who judged the award, said that he expected other areas would now follow suit.
"Most people know that this is a law that is widely disregarded by teachers. If not, they feel obliged to do it and do it unwillingly and resentfully.
"There's a general feeling that it's no longer appropriate. I think worship should not be part of a school day. School is for knowledge rather than for belief," he said.
He added that there was widespread support among both Christian and non-Christian MPs for a change in the law.
According to the 2011 census, Brent's population is now 41 per cent Christian, 18.6 per cent Muslim and 17.8 per cent Hindu. It is one of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in the country.
Christian groups said the decision showed the country was in "cultural chaos".
Andrea Williams, of pressure group Christian Concern, said: "We hope other areas don't follow this lead.
"The whole point about a Christian assembly is that it's rooted in a shared culture and heritage.
"It's a mark of the cultural chaos that we're in that we no longer know how to conduct assemblies."
She added that she thought the decision was "probably illegal" and the group was considering mounting a judicial review to challenge it.
