School that forces girls aged seven to wear hijabs to get state funds

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Barnet Hill Academy, an independent Muslim faith school in north London that requires girls from age seven to wear the hijab, will become the first voluntary-aided Muslim primary school in Barnet and start receiving state funding from September. The decision has sparked controversy over mandatory religious dress in state-funded schools, with critics urging more public consultation while supporters emphasize the hijab's significance for faith and identity.

An independent Islamic faith school in north London that mandates girls as young as seven to wear the hijab is set to receive state funding, following approval by the local council. Barnet Hill Academy will transition to a voluntary-aided (VA) primary school beginning in September, marking it as the first VA Muslim school in the borough of Barnet.

Voluntary-aided schools receive maintenance and funding from the local authority while retaining significant control over their management through their governing boards. Barnet Hill Academy, which previously charged annual fees exceeding £6,500, successfully applied to Barnet council in May for VA status.

The school's uniform policy requires girls in Year 3 and above to wear a white hijab, a headscarf worn by many Muslim women and girls for religious and modesty reasons. This compulsory requirement has raised concerns among certain groups, including the National Secular Society (NSS). Stephen Evans, chief executive of the NSS, criticized the decision, calling it “appalling” that taxpayer money would support a school enforcing the hijab on girls as young as seven. He stated that wearing religious dress should be a matter of personal choice, especially for young children, and urged the council to reconsider the approval and to conduct more thorough public consultation.

Supporters of the policy argue that the hijab functions as an important symbol of faith and identity, helping girls maintain privacy and modesty, particularly during their formative years. Islamic representatives maintain that the headscarf reflects a commitment to faith and serves a protective role as children grow increasingly self-conscious.

Research conducted by the NSS in 2017 found that the hijab was mandatory in eight state-funded Islamic schools across England. As of 2026, a small number of such schools continue to enforce this policy.

A Barnet council spokesperson noted that the borough already has 15 VA Church of England schools, 14 Catholic schools, 22 Jewish schools, and one Greek Orthodox school. The spokesperson added that no objections had been submitted regarding Barnet Hill Academy’s change in status. They also clarified that while the council does not set school uniform policies, it is not uncommon for faith schools to require specific attire based on religious guidelines.

The development highlights ongoing debates about the role of religious expression in state-funded education and the balance between faith-based school autonomy and individual freedoms within the public system.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.