Humanists UK welcomes Government Bill to shut illegal schools

The Government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which was announced in the 2024 King’s Speech, will receive its First Reading in Parliament today. Humanists UK has welcomed proposals including a Children Not in School Register and legislation to close loopholes that enable the continued operation of illegal faith schools.

Measures to close illegal faith schools

At the moment, home-educated children can be entirely invisible to authorities. Part Two of the Children’s Wellbeing Bill will introduce a ‘Children Not in School Register’. These will be managed by local authorities and will close one legal loophole used by proprietors of illegal schools, who claim they are merely providing supplementary religious instruction to children otherwise educated at home. 

There will also be a requirement for parents to seek the local authority’s consent to home educate their child in certain circumstances, for example if their child is subject to a protection plan. Furthermore, if a local authority believes that the education and/or home environment is unsuitable, it will have the power to intervene and require the child to attend school.  

Measures to increase Ofsted’s powers to inspect ‘independent educational institutions’ are also included in the Bill which gives a clear statement that ‘the Chief Inspector may, without a warrant, enter any premises’ they deem necessary.

Other measures in the Bill

The Bill also includes a requirement for all state-funded schools including academies to teach the National Curriculum, and proposes giving local councils greater powers to make sure schools’ admissions process reflects local needs.

Humanists UK’s Education Campaigns Manager Lewis Young said:

‘We are delighted by today’s introduction of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. It is a landmark package of reforms, including much-needed – and long overdue – action to close illegal schools.

‘We look forward to seeing the Bill in more detail, and working with the Government to develop these proposals.’

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will be formally introduced by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and have its first reading in the House of Commons today (17 December).