The National Association of Head Teachers conference in Eastbourne will hear that the law requiring a daily act of Christian collective worship is widely flouted.

Supporters of abolition say that schools have great difficulty finding the time and space for assemblies, as well as the teachers with sufficient religious conviction to lead them.

Many headteachers favour their replacement with lessons teaching values and citizenship.

But the Church of England is opposed to a change in the law.

Entitlement

Canon John Hall, general secretary of the Church of England's Board of Education, said daily collective worship in school was part of every pupil's entitlement.

"It is claimed by some teachers that the law is inflexible and that the daily act of collective worship is impossible to deliver, that there is insufficient help for them," he said.

"But there are excellent support materials for primary and secondary schools. Moreover, there are many Christian and committed teachers and others who would be willing and able to deliver collective worship, and who do so where the school allows it."

Virtually all primary schools obeyed the law, even though most secondary schools did not, Canon Hall said.

"It is of course true that there needs to be good and clear organisation and effective planning for the delivery of the daily act of worship.

"But it is possible, and it is desirable, we believe, that it should continue to be supported by the government and by all those who have an influence on the conduct of schools."

Under review

The report of a review panel, published earlier this year, suggested scrapping the daily ritual of hymns and prayers because they alienated some children from non-Christian faiths.

Members of the panel, drawn from local authorities, teaching unions and religious groups, said the practice could be doing more harm than good.