Parents/carers have a right to withdraw their child from RE
You must grant requests from parents/carers to withdraw their child, wholly or partly, from:
- Receiving religious education (RE) given in the school in accordance with the school’s basic curriculum
- Attendance at religious worship in the school (note: sixth-form pupils can choose for themselves to opt out of religious worship)
This is set out in section 71(1) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This section of the Act also applies to academies, as stated in the DfE's model funding agreements:
- Mainstream: supplemental funding agreement (paragraph 2.V on page 16)
- Mainstream: single funding agreement (paragraph 2.49 on page 25)
Academies: check your own funding agreement in case it differs from the models.
Parents/carers don’t have to give a reason
You should also
