The Department for Education has designated two independent schools in England as having a religious character with effect from 13 December 2025. The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) (No.2) Order 2025 was made on 12 December 2025 under section 69(3) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, as applied to independent schools by section 124B, following the procedure set out in the 2003 Designation Procedure Regulations.
Article 2 confirms two designations. St Thomas of Canterbury CE Primary School (EX17 6QE) is recognised as Church of England. Edullect Academy Independent School (RM3 8SB) is recognised in accordance with Islam. The Order extends to England and Wales, though it concerns independent schools in England.
Article 3 revokes earlier entries in historic designation orders. The 2003 Order entries for Queen Margaret’s School (YO19 6EU) and St Joseph’s Convent School (BB12 6TG) are removed. The 2003 (No.2) Order entries for Barlborough Hall School (S43 4TJ), Bishop Challoner School (BR2 0BS), Mount St Mary’s College (S21 3YL) and St John’s Beaumont (SL4 2JN) are also revoked. Further revocations cover Rydes Hill Preparatory School (GU2 8BP) in the 2003 (No.3) Order; Fulneck School (LS28 8DS) in the 2004 (No.2) Order; Ilford Ursuline Preparatory School (IG1 4QR) in the 2004 (No.4) Order; and Our Lady’s Convent Senior School (OX14 3PS) in the 2004 (No.6) Order. The Explanatory Note indicates these revocations relate to schools that have either closed or are no longer to be designated.
Designation has specific legal consequences for staffing in independent schools. Under section 124A of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, proprietors may take account of religious or denominational considerations when making specified employment decisions about teachers, including appointments, promotions and remuneration. The section also allows regard to conduct that is incompatible with the school’s stated tenets when considering termination of a teacher’s employment.
The Order does not itself create or change a school’s faith status. Designation formally recognises existing characteristics of the school or its governing body, as described in the Religious Character of Schools (Designation Procedure) (Independent Schools) (England) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2314). The Department for Education notes that no full impact assessment has been prepared, citing no significant effect on the private, voluntary or public sectors.
For proprietors and heads, the immediate tasks are procedural. Recruitment documents and staff handbooks should be reviewed against section 124A so that any faith-based criteria for teaching roles are clearly set out, relevant to the duties of the post and applied consistently. Selection materials and job adverts should reflect the recognised denomination where it is pertinent to the role, and governance records should capture the rationale for any role-specific requirement linked to religious tenets.
The instrument is signed by Susan Whitehouse, Deputy Director at the Department for Education, and takes legal effect on 13 December 2025. Schools affected by designation or revocation should ensure policy updates are implemented from that date and communicated to staff involved in recruitment and HR oversight.