Prayer ban ruling a ‘victory for all schools’, says Katharine Birbalsingh

Katharine Birbalsingh has said a High Court ruling that a prayer ban is lawful is a “victory for all schools”.

Ms Birbalsingh, who is described as Britain’s strictest head teacher, said she introduced the prayer ban in March last year “against a backdrop of events including violence, intimidation and appalling racial harassment of our teachers”.

Commenting on Tuesday’s judgement, she said: “A school should be free to do what is right for the pupils it serves.

“The court’s decision is therefore a victory for all schools. Schools should not be forced by one child and her mother to change its approach simply because they have decided they don’t like something at the school.”

Michaela Community School, in Brent, north-west London, was ranked top in the country last year for “Progress 8”, a measure of how much a secondary school has helped pupils improve since primary school.

Its strict rules include silence in corridors, pupils ending every interaction with teachers with “sir” or “miss”, and a tracking system whereby pupils “must pay constant attention” during lessons.

Ruling a victory over those trying to subvert public institutions, says Badenoch

Kemi Badenoch has called the prayer ban ruling a “victory against activists” who are trying to “subvert public institutions”. 

Responding to Katharine Birbalsingh statement on social media, which was posted after Mr Justice Linden’s judgement on Tuesday, the Business Secretary said: “This ruling is a victory against activists trying to subvert our public institutions. No pupil has the right to impose their views on an entire school community in this way. 

“The Equality Act is a shield, not a sword and teachers must not be threatened into submission.”

She added: “Many want to smear the Michaela school because it is an extraordinary tale of academic success….and proves the Conservative’s free school programme gave families a genuine choice, raised standards and provided opportunity -in one of the most deprived areas of London.”

Prayer ban restored ‘good relations within school’

Mr Justice Linden said evidence showed that since the prayer rituals ban was introduced “good relations within the school community have been restored”.

Speaking about the pupil who brought the case, the judge said: “I do not doubt that she has strong feelings, but she says that they are based on the whole of the events which have led to this claim... and on her views that she has been treated differently because she is a Muslim, that she is the victim of discrimination, and that she has effectively been told that she does not ‘properly belong here’, none of which is in fact the case.”