School lifts ban on headscarves

The school's ban on hijabs will end at the start of the summer term

A Bedfordshire school is lifting its ban on girls wearing Muslim headscarves.

Icknield High School in Luton had been warned by the local council that its ban on the hijab could break the Race Relations Act.

On Tuesday night school governors accepted a recommendation to lift the ban from the start of the summer term.

Chairman Geoff Lambert said the change would bring Icknield into line with other schools in Luton.

The school's uniform policy banned all headwear in the classroom, with the exception of turbans.

The policy was forced into the spotlight after a parent of a prospective Muslim pupil reported the matter to Luton Borough Council.

When it became public, members of the radical Islamic group Al Muhajiroun handed out leaflets outside the school, demanding that the ban be overturned.

At a meeting in January governors had agreed to review the ban.