Learning and Skills Act 2000

27 (1) Section 44 of that Act (collective worship) is amended as follows.

(2) For subsections (1) and (2) substitute—

“(1) This section applies to any institution within the further education sector which is principally concerned with the provision of full-time education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age who have not attained the age of nineteen years.

(2) An institution is of voluntary origin for the purposes of this section if—

(a) immediately before it joined the further education sector it was a voluntary school (within the meaning of the Education Act 1996),

(b) immediately before it joined the further education sector it was a foundation or voluntary school (within the meaning of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998) having a foundation established otherwise than under that Act,

(c) it is designated for the purposes of this paragraph by order of the Secretary of State, or

(d) it is formed by or for the purpose of merging two institutions both of which were within paragraphs (a) to (c).

(2A) The governing body of an institution to which this section applies shall ensure that at an appropriate time on at least one day in each week during which the institution is open an act of collective worship is held at the institution which persons receiving education at the institution may attend.”

(3) In subsection (3)(b) for “became a further education institution” substitute “joined the further education sector”.

(4) In subsection (4) for “other further education institutions” substitute “other institutions to which this section applies”.

(5) In subsection (5) for “a further education institution” substitute “an institution to which this section applies”.

(6) Omit subsection (6).

(7) At the end of the section insert—

“(7) In the application of this section to an institution which is of voluntary origin by virtue of subsection (2)(d), subsection (3)(b) shall be taken as referring to the religious traditions and practices of the two institutions mentioned in subsection (2)(d).”