The Religious Character of Schools (Designation Procedure) Regulations 1998

Procedure

6.—(1) The Secretary of State shall prepare a list (“the list”) setting out–

(a) each voluntary or grant-maintained school, which, if it becomes a foundation or voluntary school and satisfies one or more of the requirements in regulation 5(1) and (2), he proposes to designate as a school having a religious character; and

(b) the relevant religion or religious denomination which he proposes to state in relation to each such school in accordance with section 69(4) of the 1998 Act.

(2) The Secretary of State shall send a copy of the list, or such part of it as he considers appropriate in any particular case, to the religious bodies set out in the Schedule hereto.

(3) The Secretary of State shall give those bodies to whom he has sent a copy of the list, or a part of it, an opportunity to make representations and he shall revise the list (“the revised list”) in the light of any such representations in so far as he considers it appropriate to do so.

(4) After taking the steps referred to in paragraphs (1) to (3) above, the Secretary of State shall consult the governing body and any trustees of each school in the revised list which he proposes to designate as a foundation or voluntary school which has a religious character as to–

(a) the proposed designation; and

(b) the proposed statement as to the relevant religion or religious denomination.

(5) If, as a result of the consultation referred to in paragraph (4) above, he is minded to alter the proposed designation of the religious character of the school, or the statement as to the relevant religion or religious denomination, set out in the revised list, the Secretary of State shall consult such of the religious bodies set out in the Schedule hereto as he considers appropriate.

(6) The Secretary of State shall make an order or orders under section 69(3) of the 1998 Act on or before 1st September 1999, in accordance with the criteria set out in regulation 5, on the basis of the revised list as further modified as he considers appropriate in the light of the consultations under paragraphs (4) and (5) above.

(7) Obligations imposed on the Secretary of State by paragraphs (1) to (5) above may be satisfied by actions taken by him before these Regulations come into force.