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The school's website was updated today after backlash mounted

A Labour-run London council has been forced to clarify the uniform policy of a school in response to "deep concerns" over female pupils being obliged to wear hijabs, GB News can reveal.

Barnet Hill Academy, an independent Islamic faith school, requires girls from the age of seven to wear hijabs as part of the uniform and will become state-funded this month after the local authority approved its application.

Voluntary-aided (VA) schools are maintained and funded by local authorities, while their governing bodies retain control over areas including staffing and admissions.

The decision prompted concern from Laura Trott, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, and Joy Morrissey, Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, who wrote to council questioning whether the policy applied to non-Muslim students.

In light of the concern, a Barnet Council spokesman told GB News: “The school has confirmed that wearing a hijab is not compulsory for non-Muslims.

"They have updated the uniform policy on their website to state this. The school’s uniform policy is consistent with those of other faith schools.”

The updated website details how Barnet Hill Academy's uniform and Islamic dress code are "closely aligned with our school ethos, which aims at directing our children towards Islamic values and norms".

"As such, we apply the terms uniform and Islamic dress interchangeably, as our students, particularly KS2 i.e. from Year 3 upwards, are engaged in acts of worship, congregational prayer, recitation of the Quran and many other acts which fall within the bounds of Islam, Islamic worship and rituals", the site reads.

It states a plain white hijab as an aspect of the uniform but reiterates: "This is not a requirement for any non-Muslim students attending the school."

Seemingly contrary to this, the page also says: "All students are expected to wear the uniform and dress in accordance with the expectations set out above."

The school describes school uniform as "an essential part of every school, it conveys the school ethos, establishes standards of dress and conduct and helps students form a unique sense of pride and identity in themselves and their school".

Price & Buckland provide the school uniform service and have done so since 1959.

A Barnet Council spokesman had earlier defended the decision by stating: “We pride ourselves on the diverse nature of our school landscape, offering a wide choice when parents are selecting a school for their children.

“At the last census (2021) 12 per cent of Barnet residents indicated that they were of Muslim faith, the third largest faith group in the borough after Christian (37 per cent) and Jewish (15 per cent). Those of no faith numbered 20.2 percent at the last Census.

"Barnet already has 15 voluntary-aided Church of England schools, 14 Catholic schools, 22 Jewish schools and one Greek Orthodox school (out of 134 schools in total). This is the first voluntary-aided Muslim school in the borough.

“Its proposal and application to become voluntary-aided was promoted by the school’s governing body and the representations received during the formal four-week statutory proposal period were all overwhelmingly in support. We received no objections from residents.”

“School uniform policy is not set by the council, but it is not unusual for a faith school to make certain dress code requirements related to religious practice.

"This is already the case in other schools in the borough, and in the case of Barnet Hill Academy, their policy is legally compliant and non-compulsory for non-Muslim pupils.”

Barnet Hill Academy, which caters for children aged three to 11, has operated since 2006.

Department for Education figures show it has 158 pupils, despite having capacity for 400.

Before applying for VA status, the school charged annual fees of more than £6,500 and submitted its proposal to Barnet Council in May.