The Accord Coalition is a campaign coalition, launched in 2008, which brings together a wide range of member organisations, both religious and non-religious, that are concerned that legislation around admissions, employment and the curriculum in state funded faith schools in England and Wales can serve to undermine community cohesion and not adequately prepare children for adult life in an increasingly diverse society.

Aims and objectives

Accord does not take a position on the principle of faith schools, but wants all state funded schools to be open and suitable to all children of every background, regardless of their parents’ or their own beliefs, as well as for classrooms to be as diverse as the local area from which schools draw their pupils. Accord believes mutual understanding will best grow through such a shared civic life, and considers mutual understanding as vital to the future wellbeing and happiness of society.

Accord is concerned that rather than acting to foster improved cohesiveness, through legislative freedoms, some schools can instead help to create environments where mistrust between groups can more readily grow, such as through providing a narrow curriculum about the beliefs of others, and by segregating children and teachers on the grounds of religion.

Accord has four key campaign objectives:

• To prevent discrimination on the basis of religion and belief in pupil admissions and in recruitment and employment of staff in schools

• To ensure that schools follow an objective and balanced syllabus for education about religious and non-religious beliefs to ensure that children grow up with an understanding of the main religion and belief traditions in society

• To replace the widely flouted laws that demand all state schools provide daily Collective Worship, with requirements to provide inclusive assemblies that focus on shared values

• That RE, Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education and Citizenship are brought under a single inspection regime to help ensure they are thorough, broad and balanced
Accord maintains a databank of information, which brings together and summarises research about the policy implications of state funded faith schools and their practices. It also runs an annual award to celebrate those schools that do most to promote mutual understanding and improved community cohesion.

Members and supporters

Accord was founded by organisations including the Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Association of Teachers and Lecturers

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers is a trade union, teachers' union and professional association, affiliated to the Trades Union Congress, in the United Kingdom representing educators from nursery and primary education to further education...

, the British Humanist Association

British Humanist Association

The British Humanist Association is an organisation of the United Kingdom which promotes Humanism and represents "people who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs." The BHA is committed to secularism, human rights, democracy, egalitarianism and mutual respect...

, Ekklesia

Ekklesia (think tank)

Ekklesia is an independent, not-for-profit British think tank which examines the role of religion in public life and advocates transformative theological ideas and solutions. Jonathan Bartley is the founder and co-director....

, the Hindu Academy and the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement

Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement

The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement describes itself as "a UK-based international Charity who are praying for an inclusive church".The Gay Christian Movement was founded in 1976 with the Revd Richard Kirker as its first General Secretary...

. It also includes among its list of member groups the British Muslims for Secular Democracy

British Muslims for Secular Democracy

British Muslims for Secular Democracy is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting secularism in the United Kingdom, founded by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown...

, The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches

General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches

The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches is the umbrella organisation for Unitarian, Free Christian and other liberal religious congregations in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1928, with denominational roots going back to the Great Ejection of 1662...

 and the race equality think tank The Runnymede Trust

Runnymede Trust

The Runnymede Trust is a leading pro-multiculturalism think tank., Its aim is to generate intelligence for a "multi-ethnic" Britain through research, network building and policy engagement...

.

The Chair of the Accord Coalition is Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain

Jonathan Romain

Jonathan Anidjar Romain is a rabbi, writer and broadcaster, minister of Maidenhead Synagogue in Berkshire. He has a PhD in the history of British Jewry. He writes for The Times, The Guardian and The Jewish Chronicle and appears on radio or television...

MBE, the minister of Maidenhead Synagogue. Its supporters include academics, clergy, theologians and politicians from the four largest groupings in parliament.