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Brent has become the first council in Britain to let schools hold multi-belief assembles rather than a daily Christian worship.

The new approach is the first time state funded non-faith schools will not have to have a daily prayer which is "wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character".

Inclusive education experts have called it "ground breaking" and said it could lead the way for many schools in England and Wales, the Mirror Online reported.

Brent Council’s committee, the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE), has decided to promote multi-belief assemblies, after saying they should draw on material from a range of religious and non-religious views.

Labour-controlled Brent now encourages all of its schools to apply for permission to provide these kind of assemblies after the approach won an award from the Accord Coalition which works to reduce religious barriers.

(Image: Christopher Futcher)

Chair of the judging panel of the Accord Coalition, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, said: "Society may be Christian-based but is multi-faith with many also of no belief-system, and so uniform worship should no longer be compulsory for our educational system.

"The current worship laws are unpopular and prevent schools from providing an inspiring programme of assemblies that are truly inclusive of all staff and children.

"Some schools find the laws so unworkable that they have stopped providing assemblies altogether.

"As society does not have a shared faith, we cannot worship together.

"Brent Council’s ground breaking approach rescues an opportunity for pupils to communally explore and forge shared values, in a way that is workable and respectful.

"We hope all other local authorities will take inspiration from Brent Council’s approach, which we highly commend."

A Brent Council spokesperson said: " "It’s great that the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) in Brent has won this award for inclusivity.

"SACRE first took this decision in 2006 when the guidance from the Department for Education changed.

"Many other local authority areas, of all political persuasions, also took the same decision after the DfE guidance was updated more than a decade ago.

"Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the UK and we are committed to promoting inclusivity and respect, ensuring that everyone who lives here is given the freedom to practice whichever religion they follow."

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