A school known as Britain’s strictest has won a court challenge brought by a pupil banned from publicly praying, in a judgment welcomed by the government and secular campaigners.
Katharine Birbalsingh, head of Michaela Community School, revealed that the family who brought the High Court case are sending another child to the school in September and also planning a separate legal action.
Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, said the ruling should give all heads confidence in making the right decision for their school.
Others warned that without national guidance or new legislation, such cases would continue to be brought. Tuesday’s case is estimated to have cost the taxpayer at least half a million pounds.
The pupil had claimed that the policy that banned “prayer rituals”
