Too much religion at school ?

[Twowords]

How much does your child's school reference religion in teaching about something else? We don't identify as Christian or any religion and our child just started at our local village C of E school last week. We realised that there would be teaching about different religions, however the second day of school they have learnt Christian songs and the first term 'homework' has a big section to read out about Jesus, using it to explain respect, which in our opinion could have been done using loads of other examples in a secular way. Am I being unreasonable to expect that they shouldn't be pushing this as the first homework example? Is this common with your experiences of C of E schools?

@Twowords

"our child just started at our local village C of E school last week".

So you're sending them to a church of England school and are surprised that they are being taught church of England norms.

Why?

If you send your child to a Church of England school expect Christianity. They will follow curriculum requirements regarding teaching about multiple religions but the general ethos/feel of the place will be C of E.

What did you think a CofE school would be like?

Why send them to a religious school, if you are going to complain that they are taught religion?

There are many secular schools out there.

Yabu. If this is an issue for you then you shouldn't have sent them to a faith school.

Surely it's expected that a CofE school would be quite focused on Christianity? Sure, they'll cover other religions in the relavent lessons, but the teachings of the Christian Church will likely form the backbone of the school ethos and the day to day running.

Then it's up to parents to either accept it, embrace it, or seek out a non CofE school.

Me and DH are atheists. Our dc hasn't formed their own opinion yet. We chose a Catholic Secondary school as, religion aside, the running of the school, the facilities and the level of attainment are excellent. Dc will learn about all religions, but their whole calendar and daily focus is Catholic by nature. It's something they (and us) accept as the "cost" of the excellent education.

If I was against dc hearing more about one specific religion I'd have avoided religious schools.

Maybe this isn't the right school for you?

It definitely happens. Some schools are “c of e” and just touch on religion a bit, and others lay it on very thick. Depends on the head teacher i think.
It’s annoyIng, especially when all the local schools are like that and there’s no opting out without sending them to a school very far away where none of their friends go, and no guarantee it won’t turn more religious with a new head at any time. But I wouldn’t worry too much. Just balance it out at home. We were always perfectly polite about the school religion stuff but the kids knew that some people believe it and some don’t. When the school made a big deal about “their Christian values of kindness and friendship” I would mutter darkly “or as I like to call them - ‘values’ “.

While I think there is no place for religious indoctrination in schools, and don't believe faith schools should exist, surely you realised that sending your child to a religious school ran the risk of them being presented with a specific set of religious beliefs as The Truth?

Yabu. Some c of e are more than others, my kids school do worship every day, church once a week and values. My school did church once a term and worship once a week.
I am not a believer and my kids don't really either but there are 26 c of e lords and our art and cultural history is often based on Christian dogma so useful to understand I think.

I think it depends on the school. I have known schools that are nominally 'C of E' but you'd never know it. OTOH, DD's school is C of E and has strong ties to the local church, and is quite serious about it all. I think it's one of those things you have to scope out when you choose a school, bearing in mind that a school that claims to be C of E may actually be quite keen on the religious bit.

FWIW, DD's school sent us home a curriculum for year 1 that stated, blithely, that she'd understand 'salvation, incarnation and divinity' by the end of year one. I know professors of theology who still don't understand that! If they took that brief seriously I would be a bit worried.

No there aren’t. Most are religious one way or another. Non faith schools will vary depending on the head, but there’s a good chance there’ll be a Christian element a lot of the time. C of E schools more so, but depending on where you live it can be hard to avoid them.

Even for non-faith schools:

Current law requires all state-funded schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to hold daily acts of ‘Collective Worship’. In England and Wales in schools with no formal religious character this worship must be ‘wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character’. In Northern Ireland the requirement is for ‘undenominational’ collective worship.
https://assembliesforall.org.uk/about/law-on-assemblies/

I don’t agree with religious schools for all sorts of reasons, but in particular that if most or all of your local schools are religious , you really don’t have many options- I do know of people who were only offered a religious school, their choice was to accept the only school place offered or don’t have a school place at all.
Obviously if you send your child to a religious school, you can expect there to be a religious ethos. Whether you chose this is a different matter.
Personally I think all state schools should be secular but in practical terms that’s not where we are in the UK right now.
Can I suggest you have a look at the National Secular Society ?

CofE schools will have a SIAMS inspection (similar to and in addition to OFSTED but will be checking the Christian ethos of the school).

I know CofE schools aren’t necessarily a choice for parents especially in rural areas where it may be the only school in the vicinity, so will be chosen as only school in catchment rather than chosen for religious reasons. They should be inclusive rather than faith schools.

If the OP is in a village she might not have a choice about the CofE school.

If it is a CofE school then there may well be a lot of religious teaching OP. It’s up to the individual school. Some have a more religious nature than others. Are there schools in nearby villages that might be an option if it’s going to be a big problem for you?

It’s a Church of England school, they’re going to be singing some songs with a Christian basis - what on earth did you expect collective worship in a Church school to involve?! There will be a Christian ethos and of course they’ll reference Jesus. There may be prayer spaces or a reference to a Bible verse in the school vision. The local vicar will probably lead some assemblies or potentially be on the governing board.

My kids go to a CoE primary and that’s all roughly what I expected. But for most subjects I’ve found it doesn’t come up (they aren’t shoehorning Jesus into maths!) they still teach about a whole range of world religions and for that matter being non religious and it’s still presented as something the children can choose, there’s no presumption of faith. It does come up in discussions about class rules and school behaviour which is why I imagine it’s come up so early for your child. We have a very diverse range of families, with a wide range of religious beliefs and none, most seem fairly content. But then there is a community school alternative so I guess those who are completely against it have chosen that school instead. I realise that’s not an option in some areas.

The only schools we’re in catchment for are CofE schools. All schools in our area are oversubscribed, there isn’t the option to send to a non CofE school unless you go private. Luckily ours don’t seem to have too much of a religious focus.

Lack of discipline in school/ behaviour getting worse, has a direct timeline correlation with the decline of religious standards taught.

Even if you dont agree with Christianity (yet want the benefits of a C of E school 🙄) the fact kids are taught Christian principles (love / kindness etc) is surely a good thing?? And I hate to break it to you - but being taught about Jesus IS a big part of being a Christian.

All authority is in decline - God, religion, parents, police, teachers. And society is paying a heavy price. Children are not taught that anyone has the right and responsibility to tell them what to do, they are becoming untouchable.

Yes you are being unreasonable to expect secular eduction in a religious school.
However, I went to a Christian school where there were hymns, prayers every assembly etc. But there were pupils of other faiths and we were taught about other religions. I decided as a child that I didn’t believe in any of it and I’m now a firm atheist so a religious school doesn’t mean your child will become a convert

Honestly, that is such nonsense. You think discipline/standards were better in times when there were more religious standards in schools? I'd love to know how that correlates with crime rates.

I'm Christian, but love and kindness are not uniquely 'Christian' values, and it's offensive to suggest they are.

I'd suggest that if you feel your children are not taught about authority and responsibility, then perhaps the onus is on you to step up.

Thanks all. Yes, realise of course they would be singing songs, learning about Jesus and god etc etc. Am rural and all other schools are also C of E. Just had hoped this one wouldn't be as 'full on' with the religion stuff, tried to find out as much as I could on the open day and was just a little surprised with this first homework. Like a poster suggested - I guess it comes up with the theme of respect. Thanks for all your input.

I’ve seen people complain about this in regard to secular schools, but you’ve sent them to a religious school… in the nicest way possible, what did you expect?

Its CofE so will be Christian focused.

I went to a CofE school and there were daily prayers attached to assembly, and a weekly RE lesson. The first term homework was pretty similar.

I'm not religious, clearly none of the religious teachings had any effect on me, but I learned to be polite around other people's faith.

Unless you find religion actively offensive, I'd just keep an eye on what they cover and how much of the curriculum is coloured by Christian teachings. With ours, it became less as we got further into term.

@Twowords

Fair play. You came back, many op's don't.

But Christianity, like most major religions, is about respect for other people. Do as you would be done by.

My ds went to a Catholic primary school as it was the best school in the area, we aren't Catholic, the behaviour of a lot of the pupils left a lot to be desired, bullying was treated as normal behaviour. As for the religion, ds decided age 7 he was an atheist, he told all his teachers & the priest he didn't believe, he is 19 now & still doesn't believe.

Many posters seem to pile on about ‘choosing’ a religious school, but the reality is that many don’t have a secular option. We don’t have a secular option within catchment, also rural like op. Also have friends in London whose child placed in a catholic school when all other closer secular options denied, along with appeals.

I don’t think there should be state run religious schools, but if they are part of the state system, should be far more circumspect about the extent to which religion is pushed in the day to day.