Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a place where only religious matters are taught to children who do not reside there is required to register as a school; and if not, to what extent the teaching of general subjects, such as English and maths, is necessary before such a place is required to register as a school.
To be registered as an independent school, an institution must meet the definition of a school in Section 4 of the Education Act 1996, which requires it to provide primary and/or secondary education. The provision of a single discipline, such as religious education alone, does not meet this requirement.
Registered independent schools are expected to provide the full range of subjects specified in the attached independent school standards as prescribed in regulations - which include linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, and aesthetic and creative education.