Accord is a wide coalition of organisations, including religious groups, humanists, trade unions and human rights campaigners. We share a common view on many issues to do with state-funded schools and believe that the current legislation on faith schools in particular is counter-productive.
We campaign to make admissions and recruitment policies in all state-funded schools free from discrimination on grounds of religion or belief.
We want schools to follow an objective, fair and balanced syllabus for education about religious and non-religious beliefs.
We want accountability under a single inspection regime for Religious Education, Personal, Social & Health (PSHE) education and Citizenship.
We believe all schools should provide their pupils with inclusive, inspiring and stimulating assemblies in place of compulsory acts of worship.
A group of 30 Anglican clergy, theologians and civil rights activists have issued a public letter urging national Church of England officials ‘to abandon admission policies that discriminate against people by faith’ in their schools.
The Welsh Government intends to give parents at faith schools a right to have their child taught RE which is guaranteed to only teach about a range of religions and beliefs and not in accordance with the religious tenets of the school.
The former Director of the New Schools Network and Joint Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Theresa May, Nick Timothy, has been appointed to the Board of the Department for Education this week.