As we mentioned in an earlier post, the Department for Education’s call for evidence on inspection of informal out-of-school education in England caused considerable concern among several of the Christian Churches – and, indeed, among faith-groups generally –  that all sorts of innocuous activities could be caught by the new policy.

On 20 January the issue was debated in Westminster Hall  and, in reply to that debate, the Minister for Education, Nick Gibb, explained some of the Government’s thinking behind the proposal:

“First, I can confirm that the Government are not proposing to regulate settings teaching children for a short period every week, such as Sunday schools or the scouts, nor will it apply to one-off residential activities, such as a week-long summer camp. We are looking specifically at places where children receive intensive education outside schools, where they could typically be spending more than six to eight hours a week. Continue reading →