weller, michaela community school— background to this. ol is a _ background to this. weller, michaela community school is a small - community school is a small secondary in london and it is known for its extremely strict rules and read traditional approach to teaching, including learning lots of things by rote. among the rules is the fact that smoke more than four pupils are allowed to gather together at lunchtime in the schoolyard. —— no more than four. last march, more than 20 pupils started praying at lunchtime in the yard outside, and that led the school to introduce a ban which was at the heart of this case in a challenge brought by one pupil and her mother who argued that it discriminated in particular against muslim pupils. bud discriminated in particular against muslim punks-— discriminated in particular against muslim pupils-— muslim pupils. and what has the 'udie said muslim pupils. and what has the judge said here? _ muslim pupils. and what has the judge said here? the _ muslim pupils. and what has the judge said here? the judge

the michaela community school introduced the ban last year, after some pupils began praying in the schoolthat the ban discriminated against muslim pupils — a claim rejected by the court. the uk's education secretary — gillian keegan — welcomed the ruling, saying head teachers must be allowed to decide school policy. our education editor branwenjeffreys told me more about the case, from the newsroom. well, michaela community school is a small secondary in london. it's known for its extremely strict rules and very traditional approach to teaching, including learning lots of things by rote. among the rules is the fact that no more than four pupils are allowed to gather together at lunchtime in the schoolyard. last march, more than 20 pupils started praying at lunchtime outside in the yard — that led the school to introduce a ban which was at the heart of this case, in a challenge brought by one pupil and her mother, who argued that it discriminated in particular against muslim pupils. and what has the judge said here? the judge has said that the school made its strict rules very clear. it is

michaela academy, quite simply said, this is a victory for all schools. tell us about the ruling today at the high court. >> yes. well, the michaela communityrth west london has previously been described as one of the strictest schools in britain . strictest schools in britain. and in a two day hearing which took place here at the high court in january, the school told the court that if it allowed a prayer policy in their school, it would risk undermining inclusion for the pupils who attend that school. now, we've heard a response from the students who brought forward this legal challenge . in this legal challenge. in a statement, she said i am obviously very disappointed that the judge did not agree with me as is set out in the judgement. i do not agree that it would be too hard for the school to accommodate pupils who wish to pray in the lunch break. the school is very well run and generally very good at managing everything. the school doesn't wish to allow pupils to pray, has chosen a different path and the judge has found in their favour . even the judge has found in their favour. even though i lost, i feel that i did the right thing in

you know, michaela community school range of other school has a range of other problems i think she needs to think this to deal with first. i think this is bizarre hill to is a very bizarre hill to die on. just them a classroom. on. just give them a classroom. it's not that hard. >> i don't know exactly >> i mean, i don't know exactly the school, but the dynamic at the school, but she's they she's been very clear. they don't for a prayer don't have space for a prayer room. now, this is a very high performing school, very strict school. they school. i would imagine they have revision revision have a lot of revision revision sessions lunchtimes. sessions going on at lunchtimes. well, all together well, no, they all sit together at lunchtime. all sit at lunchtime. they all sit together lunchtime. at lunchtime. they all sit tog allzr lunchtime. at lunchtime. they all sit tog allzr years |time. at lunchtime. they all sit tog allzr years sit|e. at lunchtime. they all sit tog allzr years sit together. >> all the years sit together. so don't. so no, they don't. >> where? so no, they don't. >> in1

——the michaela community school in north london introduced the ban last year, after some pupils beganed against muslim pupils — a claim rejected by the court. india is gearing up for a general election, set to be the largest the world has ever seen. just under one billion people are eligible to vote, that's roughly one in eight of the entire global population, and more than 13 million indian citizens who live abroad can also cast ballots, but they'd need to return to india in person to do so. the voting takes place over six weeks, beginning this friday, with the result expected, at the beginning ofjune. the polls suggest the prime minister, narendra modi, will win a third successive term. but he is a controversial figure as yogita limaye reports. "thank you, modi," a woman shouts, waiting for the prime minister to arrive. narendra modi is the reigning superstar of indian politics. rallies like these are an integral part of an indian election, but only a few leaders have evoked such a response in the country's history. what we are seeing here is the confidence of a party that very much

it had been challenged by a muslim pupil at the michaela community school in brent, who said her rightsing is a victory for all schools. here's our education editor, branwen jeffreys. morning. katharine birbalsingh says her school is the strictest in england. last year, a ban on prayer was brought in, leading to this legal challenge. some muslim pupils had started praying in the yard, asking for space to pray inside. the school argued it had always been non—religious. from the moment we opened in 2014, we've never had a prayer room, we've always made that clear to parents. i mean, it's notjust prayer rooms — everything that we are, because we are different, we say that to parents, and yes, we use the word "secular" to describe ourselves. today, the court upheld the school's right to decide. in a statement, the head teacher 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 had decided they don't "li

michaela community school in wembley introduced the ban last year, after some pupils began praying inlost her high court challenge against the school's ban on prayer rituals. in his ruling, mrjustice linden said the pupil knew of the school's policy when she was enrolled there. his judgment will be seen as upholding the right of non—religious schools to make their own decision about whether or not to set aside time and space for pupils to pray. the headteacher of the michaela school — katharine birbalsingh, who introduced the prayer ritual policy at the heart of this court case, has issued a statement welcoming the judgement. she 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. with more on this is our correspondent ben wolvin. it's a complicated case and it does have a lengthy background so just take us through what the issue was at the school a

the student argued the ban at michaela community school was discriminatory and breached her right to prayers risked security threats and could undermine social cohesion among pupils. the judge upheld the school's position, highlighting safety concerns. the school's head teacher has said schools should not be forced by one child and her mother to change its approach. simply because they've decided they don't like something at the school. the education secretary says today's ruling should give all school leaders confidence to make the right decisions for their pupils . the prime minister is urging mps to vote with their conscience on his smoking ban proposals . rishi sunak is facing proposals. rishi sunak is facing the prospect of a rebellion as his plan to stop young people smoking is brought before the house of commons for the first time today. if the tobacco and vapes bill becomes law, it would be an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after the 1st of january 2009. it means children aged 15 or younger today will never legally be able to buy a cigarette. however, the bil

the student argued that the ban at michaela community school was discriminatory and unlawfully breached and could undermine social cohesion among pupils. the judge upheld the school's position, highlighting safety concerns and the need to maintain a stable learning environment . the education environment. the education secretary says today's ruling should give all school leaders confidence to make the right decisions for their pupils . in decisions for their pupils. in other news, a woman has been charged . with the murder of charged. with the murder of a baby discovered in a woodland in cheshire 26 years ago. baby callum was discovered close to the gulliver's world theme park in warrington in 1998. 54 year old joanne sharkey appeared at warrington magistrates court today with callum's today charged with callum's murder and concealment of the birth a child. was birth of a child. she was remanded in custody will remanded in custody and will appear crown appear before liverpool crown court thursday . rishi sunak court on thursday. rishi sunak is due to speak to benjamin netanyahu later ab

claim that policy pupils claim that the policy that this michaela that they had in this michaela community schoolwhich was discriminatory. love discriminatory. what i love about get through about it, if you get through into details that the ruling about it, if you get through intyou details that the ruling about it, if you get through intyou knew ils that the ruling about it, if you get through intyou knew what at the ruling about it, if you get through intyou knew what yowe ruling about it, if you get through intyou knew what you were ng is, you knew what you were getting into. basically it's known strict school and known as the strict school and you're not the rules are. so of all the schools that that you're going to stick the rules, going to stick to the rules, it'll a strict one. the rules it'll be a strict one. the rules are that don't to do are that you don't get to do this yeah that you're this praying. yeah that you're however phrased the however they phrased it, the showing your religious faith showing of your religious faith will curtailed. will be in some way curtailed. you it then th

now katharine birbalsingh , the katharine birbalsingh, the founder and head teacher of the michaela community schoolhe mob and won ofsted rates. it as an outstanding school. it gets kids into top universities . gets kids into top universities. it is strict, but it gets results. and crucially, parents sent their children to that school knowing that there was no official prayer room. then one pupil decided to kick up a stink, saying that there right to religious freedom was being offended and it ended up in the high court. but it wasn't just that pupil, okay? an organised militia of hardline ers from outside the school tried to intimidate the school into bending to their religious wishes. now, earlier this year , wishes. now, earlier this year, i went to the michaela academy and i spoke to head teacher katharine birbalsingh doing all kinds of death threats and, we had a bomb scare, the police had to come and search the school, for bombs. we had all kinds of one of my teachers, one of my black teachers was so badly racially abused, one of my staff, had a attempted break in at her flat, one of my staff

challenge yesterday, brought by a pupil who claimed that the prayer restrictions at the michaela school in the michaela communitycriminatory. >> an extensive ruling. >> well, an extensive ruling. >> well, an extensive ruling. >> high court said the >> the high court said the prayer ban lawful and prayer ban was lawful and justified proportionate justified as a proportionate means the means of achieving the legitimate aims of school. legitimate aims of the school. >> in to the ruling, >> in response to the ruling, birbalsingh gave a very long statement. but she said a school should be free to do what is right for the pupils it serves. the court's decision is therefore victory for all schools. >> she goes on to say multiculturalism works at michaela because we have a clear identity which anyone can sign up to if they're willing to compromise. that's the key. and that pupil knew the rules when she joined that school. >> music our ears. well, >> music to our ears. well, joining us now is the executive head teacher saint thomas the head teacher of saint thomas the apostle serge apostle school in london, serge safi. .

schools nearby that do for example offer a prayer room what a prayer space to muslim pupils. around a third of the local community are from different muslim communities and within michaela schoolxt head teacher in england and has also made it clear that she sets out the strict behaviour codes, the strict rules, which include no more than four pupils gathering together at break time when families are choosing the school. thejudges time when families are choosing the school. the judges fundamentally accepted their argument either the light of that the measures put in place were proportionate for the school to support its ethos. and this has implications for every other state funded school in england that might in future face similar requests. that might in future face similar reuuests. :, that might in future face similar reuuests. . ., ., , :, requests. have we had any reaction et from requests. have we had any reaction yet from either _ requests. have we had any reaction yet from either party? _ requests. have we had any reaction yet from either party? the - requests. have we had any reactionl yet from either party? the judgment yet from either party? the “udgment has literall

we are one community at michaela school in north at the michaela school in north london, and she a ritualnd she said, we break bread barriers. rybody to take other. and she said, we break bread barriers. and dy to take other. and she said, we break bread barriers. and she) take other. and she said, we break bread barriers. and she says, if down barriers. and she says, if i don't that in my i don't do that in my playground, i will have the muslim in one corner, the muslim kids in one corner, the christian another , the christian kids in another, the sikh kids in another. and she said, i proactively bring said, unless i proactively bring everybody what said, unless i proactively bring eve school what said, unless i proactively bring eve school like. what said, unless i proactively bring eve school like. and what said, unless i proactively bring eve school like. and thist my school looks like. and this ruling will challenge her ruling today will challenge her ability that. ability to do that. >> will be interesting. >> that will be interesting. >> that will be interesting. >> country amazes

communism. >> has democracy died in europe? katharine birbalsingh ban on islamic prayer at the michaela school has been ruled as lawful by the highce , has by the high court. for once, has common sense prevailed and i expose our idol home office as vietnam soars to the top of the list of small boat migrants. but what are they doing about it? don't miss patrick christys tonight, 9 to 11 pm. be there i >> -- >> there is a new and growing burden on the state. indeed on you, the taxpayer. and it is the number of people on long term or short term sickness, disability. the numbers are literally mind blowing . economic inactivity due blowing. economic inactivity due to long time sickness now stands . at 2.83 million people. while the number not participating in the number not participating in the labour market due to long and short tum illnesses has now broken 3 million for the first time. the astonishing thing with this figure is that it's nearly four times higher than it was 40 years ago. and think about 40 years ago. and think about 40 years ago, people working in mines, people working in factories, a lot more genuine industrial inju

communism. >> has democracy died in europe? katharine birbalsingh ban on islamic prayer at the michaela school has been ruled as lawful by the highnd i expose our idol home office as vietnam soars to the top of the list of small boat migrants. but what are they doing about it ? what are they doing about it? don't miss patrick christys tonight, 9 to 11 pm. be i >> -- >> well, we've been discussing liz truss's book, and the mail logs have been fizzing in and tom says buzzwords, big statements, but no substance . statements, but no substance. and sarah says. interested to read jerry's review ? well, i read jerry's review? well, i think he gave us a bit of a insight, a bit of a headline. earlier. new figures today have revealed a mixed economic picture on the jobs front. unemployment has risen from 4 to 2, 4.2% from 4% last quarter, and those economically inactive has increased by 150,000, reaching 9.4 million people. the main factor behind this increase is long time sickness, which is an all time high of about 2.83 million people. on the other hand , wages rose by 2% more than hand, wages rose by 2% more than inflation, which indica

communism. >> has democracy died in europe? katharine birbalsingh ban on islamic prayer at the michaela school has been ruled as lawful by the highnd i expose our idol home office as vietnam soars to the top of the list of small boat migrants. but what are they doing about it ? what are they doing about it? don't miss patrick christys tonight, 9 to 11 pm. be i >> -- >> well, we've been discussing liz truss's book, and the mail logs have been fizzing in and tom says buzzwords, big statements, but no substance . statements, but no substance. and sarah says. interested to read jerry's review ? well, i read jerry's review? well, i think he gave us a bit of a insight, a bit of a headline. earlier. new figures today have revealed a mixed economic picture on the jobs front. unemployment has risen from 4 to 2, 4.2% from 4% last quarter, and those economically inactive has increased by 150,000, reaching 9.4 million people. the main factor behind this increase is long time sickness, which is an all time high of about 2.83 million people. on the other hand , wages rose by 2% more than hand, wages rose by 2% more than inflation, which indica