Humanists UK launches ‘Every Child, Every Chance’ appeal to challenge unfair faith schools system

Humanists UK has launched its 2025 Faith Schools Fundraiser, ‘Every Child, Every Chance’, aiming to raise £40,000 on JustGiving to support its ongoing campaign for a fair, inclusive, and non-discriminatory education system.

The appeal, launched today in an email to supporters from Humanists UK patron Jamie Theakston, comes as thousands of children across the UK continue to be denied a fair education due to faith-based discrimination, illegal schools, and outdated laws on compulsory worship.

Jamie Theakston said:

‘Across the UK, thousands of children are still being denied a fair education. Some are turned away from their local schools because their families don’t follow the ‘right’ faith. Others are sent to illegal, unregulated schools where they miss out on a proper education. As a father, this breaks my heart.

I’m proud to support Humanists UK’s Every Child, Every Chance appeal. Together, we can make sure that every child has a fair start in life, free from discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination.’

Fighting for fairness in education

Through the Every Child, Every Chance campaign, Humanists UK is working to:

• Expose illegal schools: Uncovering unregistered and unsafe institutions where children are denied a broad and balanced education, and pressing the Government and Ofsted to close loopholes that allow such schools to persist.

• Challenge discriminatory admissions: Supporting parents whose children are excluded from local schools because of faith-based selection, and campaigning to extend the 50% cap on faith admissions to all schools through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

• End compulsory worship: Advocating for inclusive assemblies that unite, not divide, children, and urging reform of collective worship laws to reflect a modern, diverse Britain.

• Push for curriculum reform: Making sure the Curriculum and Assessment Review delivers a balanced syllabus that includes both the world’s religions and humanist beliefs, with science grounded in evidence, not ideology.

Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson said:

‘Faith-based discrimination in education should have no place in our diverse country. Through Every Child, Every Chance, we’re standing up for children’s rights to learn freely and think for themselves. We hope our supporters will join us in making that vision a reality.’