Further and Higher Education Act 1992

45 Religious education

(1) In this section “institution of voluntary origin” means a further education institution which, when it became a further education institution, was a voluntary school or a grant-maintained school which was a voluntary school before it became grant-maintained.

(2) The governing body of every further education institution except an institution which on the appointed day was a college of further education shall ensure that religious education is provided at the institution for all persons attending the institution who wish to receive it.

(3) The governing body of a further education institution shall be deemed to be fulfilling its duty under this section if religious education is provided at a time or times at which it is convenient for the majority of full time students to attend.

(4) For the purposes of this section religious education may take the form of a course of lectures or classes or of single lectures or classes provided on a regular basis and may include a course of study leading to an examination or the award of a qualification.

(5) The form and content of religious education provided pursuant to this section shall be determined from time to time by the governing body of each further education institution and—

(a) in the case of an institution of voluntary origin—

(i) shall be in accordance with the provisions of any trust deed affecting the institution, and

(ii) shall not be contrary to the religious traditions of the institution before it became a further education institution;

(b) in the case of all further education institutions shall reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian whilst taking account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain.

(6) In this section “the appointed day” means the day appointed under section 94 of this Act for the commencement of subsection (4) of section 15 of this Act.