Commentary Schedule 9: School Travel Schemes Section 84: LEAs in England: duty to have regard to religion or belief in exercise of travel functions
412.This section inserts a new section 509AD in the 1996 Act.
413.Section 509AD requires local education authorities in England to have regard to the religion or belief of parents in exercising their travel functions.
414.Subsection (1) provides that in exercising their travel functions (which are defined insubsection (2)), a local education authority must have regard to any wish of a parent of a child, student of sixth form age or adult learner, for that person to be provided with education or training at a particular school, institution or other place, where that wish is based on the parent’s religion or belief.
415.Subsection (2) provides that the travel functions to which this duty applies are those set out in sections 508A, 508B, 508C, 508E, 508F and 509AA of, and Schedule 35C to, the 1996 Act.
416.Subsection (3) provides that “religion” means any religion; “belief” means any belief; and that references to religion or belief include references to a lack of religion or belief.