Muslim student loses High Court challenge against Michaela School’s prayer ban
A Muslim student at a London school once dubbed Britain’s strictest has lost a High Court challenge against its ban on prayer rituals.
The pupil, who cannot be named, took legal action against Michaela Community School in Wembley claiming its policy was discriminatory and “uniquely” affects her faith due to its ritualised nature.
In an 83-page judgment dismissing the student’s case, Mr Justice Linden said: “It seems to me that this is a case…where the claimant at the very least impliedly accepted, when she enrolled at the school, that she would be subject to restrictions on her ability to manifest her religion.
“She knew that the school is secular and her own evidence is that her mother wished her to go there because it was known to be strict.
“She herself says that, long before the prayer ritual policy was introduced, she and her friends believed that prayer was not permitted at school and she therefore made up for missed prayers when she got home.”
The judge upheld the student’s challenge to a decision to temporarily exclude her from the school.
Katharine Birbalsingh, the founder and headteacher of Michaela Community School, has hailed the ruling as a victory for all schools.
In a statement on X, Ms Birbalsingh 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.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan also welcomed the judgment on the free school’s prayer rituals ban.
She said: “I have always been clear that headteachers are best placed to make decisions in their school.
“Michaela is an outstanding school and I hope this judgment gives all school leaders the confidence to make the right decisions for their pupils.”
The case was heard at the High Court in January. Ms Birbalsingh, insisted its approach promoted “inclusion and social cohesion between pupils”.
Ms Birbalsingh, a former government social mobility tsar, argued the prayer policy was justified after the school faced death and bomb threats linked to religious observance on site.
She had planned to appeal the ruling if the school lost, telling the Sunday Times after the January hearing: “I will not divide children according to race and religion; it will not happen under my watch.”
The court was told the pupil, referred to only as TTT, was making a “modest” request to be allowed to pray for around five minutes at lunch time, on dates when faith rules required it, but not during lessons.
She argued the school’s stance on prayer – one of the five pillars of Islam – unlawfully breached her right to religious freedom and was “the kind of discrimination which makes religious minorities feel alienated from society”.
The policy was first introduced in March last year, the court heard.
Additional reporting by PA News Agency
This is a breaking news story and it is being updated
