The Liberal Democrats do not believe faith-based schools should be abolished. We support freedom for schools, pupils and parents, including allowing parents to continue to choose faith-based schools within the state-funded sector, and allowing the establishment of additional faith schools. This policy also includes requiring all existing state-funded faith schools to come forward within five years with plans to demonstrate the inclusiveness of their intakes, with local authorities empowered to oversee and approve the delivery of these plans, and to withdraw state-funded status where inclusiveness cannot be demonstrated. We seek to end the opt-out from employment and equalities legislation for staff in faith schools, except those responsible for religious instruction. We also believe that schools who choose to hold assemblies should ensure that any act of collective worship is optional for pupils who are old enough to decide for themselves and otherwise for parents.