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.
The House of Commons Education Select Committee has described Government proposals for the compulsory registration of home educated children as ‘absolutely necessary’ and for it to be implemented ‘as soon as possible’.
Ofsted has admonished a private faith school for stocking a library book that advocated killing people for sexual behaviour with members of the same sex.
The Accord Coalition has congratulated the Department for Education for challenging the use of an inappropriate Relationships and Sex Education teaching resource for Catholic schools.
In response to the Department for Education offering its support for school celebrations that promote pride in the UK, the Accord Coalition has urged it to free England’s state funded school system of religious discrimination in the interests of national unity.