Independent school challenged over attendance policy for Christmas carol services

Yarm School, set up in 1978 but with education roots in the area back to 1590, is affiliated with the Church of England and follows a Christian ethos.

The school welcomes students of all religions, a policy extended to its carol services at Christmas, where students practising other religions were excused from attending. But by not extending this to those pupils and staff who do not follow any faith, campaigners now claim, the school has acted in a manner which is “ethically” wrong.

The National Secular Society (NSS), writing to the school following Easter services, claims this discriminates against agnostic or atheist pupils and teachers.

The exceptions implied “a fundamental misunderstanding of human rights norms”, chief executive Stephen Evans said in the letter, submitted to the school over the holidays.

In its policy, he adds, the school creates “a hierarchy of beliefs worthy of protection”.

The school has said it is now in discussions with governors, taking into account its wish to maintain the Christian ethos of its foundation, while respecting individual beliefs.

Yarm School, with children aged between three and 18, was first approached by the NSS after carol services at Christmas, held to mark its end of year.

Its policy, circulated to students and staff, was that all would be expected to attend unless they “actively engage” in non-Christian faiths.

The memorandum had gone on to explain that the concession “does not apply to pupils who are agnostic or atheist and so do not follow a faith. They are expected to attend the service as a whole school community event and to mark the end of the term”.

Mr Evans argues that if an exception is granted to members of non-Christian religious faiths, the same right should be extended to non-religious members of the school community.

“Anything less would be discriminatory,” the submitted letter reads.

The NSS is calling for assurances that the policy will be changed so that attendance at religious services or acts of worship will be entirely voluntary in the future.

Yarm School, as an independent setting with a Church of England religious ethos, is granted additional rights when it comes to the law over its education provision, Mr Evans concedes.

Despite this, he adds, the NSS is now exploring the possibility of a legal challenge.

“Irrespective of the legal position, the school’s policy is clearly discriminatory and wrong,” adds Mr Evans.

“In a country where over the half of the population are non-religious, the school’s policy reveals an alarming level of prejudice. Non-religious beliefs are as worthy of protection as religious ones.”

In a statement issued on behalf of the school, a spokesman said: “Over the Easter holidays we received a communication from the National Secular Society which we will now consider carefully and discuss with our Governors, taking into account our wish to maintain the Christian ethos of the school’s foundation whilst respecting the individual beliefs and wishes of our pupils and their families.”