The Education Act 1996, Article 406, says that:

"The local education authority, governing body and head teacher shall forbid:

(a) the pursuit of partisan political activities by those registered pupils at a maintained school who are junior pupils, and

(b) the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school"

Article 407 states that head teachers must ensure that "where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views."

Not only, therefore, are school teachers required to refrain from partisan political activities in the classroom, they are under an active obligation to prevent other individuals and groups (including schoolchildren themselves) from engaging in such pursuits. The direct responsibility lies with the governing body and the head teacher. Much of the literature from the European Union, by presenting a wholly one-sided and partisan view of the EU, clearly breaches both the spirit and the letter of the law.