It is reported that taxpayer-funded schools in the United Kingdom are already requiring girls aged seven and older to wear the hijab. Critics argue this is fundamentally wrong, especially since Barnett Hill Academy will receive state funding this month after local authority approval despite enforcing hijab requirements for young children. Laura Trott, Shadow Education Secretary, and Joy Morrissey, Shadow Minister for Women Inequalities, have described the situation as fundamentally wrong. The school's guidelines state that non-compliance could result in students being sent home until they return in full uniform. Experts warn that if current trends continue, the hijab may become mandatory across the United Kingdom regardless of religious affiliation.