Withdrawing a child from off-site religious service

[LifeIsGoodish]

If you withdraw your child from an on-site religious activity at school, the school still looks after them and provides them with an alternative activity, even if that is simply reading in the library.

If you withdraw your child from an off-site religious activity at school, would you expect the same to apply, or would you expect to have to collect them? The children return to school after the service.

[TeaBelle]

Depends on the size of a school and if it's a class or whole school activity. Ratios may not allow a member of staff to stay behind to watch your child whereas they don't need the same ratios in the school hall

[LadyConstanceDeCoverlet]

I would expect the school to leave the child in school. They must have staff who aren't going to the service who can supervise.

[LifeIsGoodish]

I wish they'd tell me beforehand! The first I know is when they phone and ask me when I'm collecting, and I say "I can't, I'm at work!" They always manage to find someone, even if it means dc ends up sitting in the school office.

[hels71]

We have 2 children in our school who don't go to church services. (they do attend worship in school however..) On church days they stay in school with the ladies in the office..

[Scaredycat3000]

I pick mine up, but I'm a SAHM and they lock the school up for yet another service at the church. I feel like I'm doing them a favour. It's during school hours which I'm fairly sure means they legally have to provide supervision. This is an undersubscribed only school in the area infants school. But I do make sure I pick him up just before afternoon registration so their attendance records show my DS isn't in their care. I did take him in when the nativity play was on, unlike the HT, his class teacher told me to keep him home, she hadn't spoken too the HT like me.
There are lots of good resources out there www.secularism.org.uk/your-rights--withdrawal-from-re.html with links to government website advise. humanism.org.uk/education/parents/collective-worship-and-school-assemblies-your-rights/ I tend to find the online resources by religious groups tend to have an interesting interpritation of government guidence. But none of them specifically cover off site worship. I've found the schools own equality policies are very helpful to remind them of their duties and have never had to approach the Governors to force them to comply with their own policies.

[LadyConstanceDeCoverlet]

They can't demand that you collect your child. If they choose an activity which they know some children can't attend, it's up to the school to make the appropriate arrangements.