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?

@nappiesandcontracts Have you read the OP?

I am surprised there were no songs on day one to be honest. I won't mention the school to the vicar I know.

I think there’s a difference though between learning about all the different religions and teaching about different cultures, to making the child practice the religion itself.

Yes I have?

It's singing a few songs, listening to stories and reciting the Lords prayer.
If you feel like that's too much then don't send your kids to a C of E school. You can't send them there and then be surprised about it.

How many times do people have to be told the following

Learning about different religions - fine. ie in RE lessons where Christianity is taught in the same way as Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, etc. 'Some people believe...'.

Practising religion - not fine. ie. worshipping in assembly, chanting prayers Dear God, thank you for blah blah blah Amen, saying grace before food, bible quotes in classrooms, 'Christian' values displayed in corridors, bible study in RE lessons taught as fact

I think some people are purposely not understanding the problem non- believers have.

@Esmereldapawpatrol read the thread. So exasperating

My DC's all attended a c of e school. Their homework has never been on religion
They cover Hinduism, Christianity, Islam in RE as well as covering other smaller religions and cultural celebrations.
We are Muslim. We teach the kids our version and explain that other religions believe differently.
From October onwards Christianity is the main focus until Christmas then again just before Easter. The other religions are taught a term each.
It was always our first choice school as it has not only always been outstanding but the children all return as young adults to complete work experience and a lot of the teachers were also students there themselves which kind of indicated to us that most kids enjoyed their time there and couldn't wait to come back.

I have thanks!

Why do think most parents have a choice about where they send their kids to school? My area has an issue where kids aren’t even being sent to their second choice because of oversubscription.

The lord’s prayer is still asking children to pray to a fictional character. Not acceptable to me.

@Esmereldapawpatrol The agreed RE syllabus for the RE curriculum covers various religions. It’s often quite broad and reflects the local area.

The day to day ethos of a school will be CofE if it’s one of their schools. This might be just the daily act of worship being wholly, mainly or broadly Christian or can be substantially more as has been described. The RE syllabus is a curriculum requirement, the daily act of worship is law. Anything above that is at the discretion of the head. Most accept the first two at a CofE school. The latter can be far too much in some schools and leans towards indoctrination.

I think most of us know the difference between learning about and practising a religion.

My DC go to a C of E School, as yet haven't been forced to do anything. As I said in a previous post, they sing a few songs, listen to stories (and have healthy debate) and recite the lords prayer.

The main point here is, if you don't want your children in that kind of environment then don't send them to a CHURCH OF ENGLAND school!

Why are you asking if you've read it or not? Do you not yourself know?

It's not an option for everyone to avoid religious schools though. Some peoole are stuck with them.

Please the thread.

I was talking about my experience of a C of E school for the past 7 years with my DC. I didn't make that clear.

My main point still stands though, don't send your kids to a C of E school if you feel so strongly about them not learning and taking part in that religion. I live pretty rurally and it isn't the only option, if I felt that strongly I would find an alternative. It isn't like they have hidden anything.

It's been said again. And again. And again.

Sometimes the only school in the area that parents can send their kids to is CofE so they don't have a choice.

Is this point really so hard to grasp?

Then that is up to the parent to move that child from that school if they aren't happy with what is taking place.

You can also have conversations with your children about what is taught at school and how that doesn't match with your family's beliefs if that is how you feel.

I think it probably varies from school to school but I have friends who's children attend quite a few different C of E schools and none of them can be accused of indoctrination.

The government should not be funding religious schools at all and the daily act of worship needs to go.

Religion is a private matter that should be left to individuals and families to practice in their own time.

This! I went to great lengths to avoid the church. IDK if i can manage it for secondary. Sickened if i can't but DD has to come first.

No it's not hard to grasp.

I live fairly rurally and we have more than one option of a non C of E School. Lucky us I guess although for me the religion part of what is taught doesn't bother me as I stated before. We talk about it at home and how it is a point of view/belief and they can make up their own minds and if they don't want to sing/say the prayer they can.

Yes, a religious school will be very religious, particularly at primary level.

It will run through the curriculum.

Clearly it is hard to grasp.

In some parts of the country and especially if you are a parent with limited transport there is a choice of exactly 1 - that's o.n.e - primary school.

If that school happens to be CofE then that is hard luck, isn't it.

I can break out the crayons for you if needs be.

@Esmereldapawpatrol If you read the thread you will find other schools are not readily available. Especially in rural areas. We don’t want or need more and more Dc being taken to school in cars. Therefore throwaway lines of “move them” are not a 21st century solution.

Continual prayers and bible quotations are an attempt at indoctrination to boost church numbers. To get back the CofE
lost position in society. Would we accept other sayings and practices so readily? Many parents put up with it because they have to. Hopefully parents will begin stand up against it but governing bodies are heavily weighted towards the church and they promote the church. They are not inclusive. They are exclusive whilst accepting state money.

We would say we are CofE but not relentlessly day after day. Just at Christmas and at a few other times. My DDs didn’t have to put up with this continual messaging at their CofE school years ago but now it’s changed. Until you see these heads in operation, you don’t know what it’s like.

The issue is that a lot of village schools are C of E so sending your child the local school means you're stuck with a religious school to some degree.