A Labour-run council is facing criticism over a school policy that requires female pupils to wear hijabs, with the rule described as "deeply concerning," according to GB News.
The controversy centres on a faith school that has moved into the state sector while maintaining a compulsory hijab requirement for girls, including those as young as seven years old, GB News and the National Secular Society report.
The council has been confronted over the arrangement, which campaigners argue conflicts with expectations for publicly funded education. The National Secular Society has highlighted the case as an example of religious rules being carried into the state system without adequate scrutiny.
GB News reports that the school's policy mandates hijab-wearing for all female students, a condition that has drawn sharp rebuke from those who say young children should not be subject to such requirements in a state-funded setting. The Brussels Signal also covered the move, noting the London council's decision to bring the Islamic school into the state sector despite the compulsory dress code.
The specific council involved has not been named in the available reporting, and it remains unclear whether the hijab rule will be reviewed as part of the transition. The school's entry into the state sector raises questions about how religious dress codes are handled when institutions receive public funding.
Watch for whether the council responds to the criticism or amends the policy in light of the pressure.
