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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect a non - religious school NOT to practise worship?

116 replies

bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 17:13

Please tell me if I am or not or just have my facts wrong. My DC is at a non- religious primary school, they learn about different religions - ok fine but they also practise pray to JC and God. My DC has been saying things like God is the saviour - don't get it.

OP posts:
supercollider · 07/09/2008 17:14

Oh I know, it's a right pain in the unusual isn't it. Unfortunately community schools are bound by law to have 'an act of worship' every day.

stitch · 07/09/2008 17:16

an act of worship a week is the law in england and wales. has to be done.

wahwah · 07/09/2008 17:16

You can always tell him the headteacher has an imaginary friend!

Bettyboobird · 07/09/2008 17:17

Every school has to make religious education available to the children, and I believe they also have to have a communal assembly at least once a week (would need to check that one)

Are they being taught to pray to JC and worship God, or being taught that Christians do, and shown how they do it. Because they are two very different things...

SoupDragon · 07/09/2008 17:18

What Stitch says. "Collective worship" is a requirement (our school got told off by OFSTED about not having it )

supercollider · 07/09/2008 17:18

Oh is it only once a week stitch? DS1's school does it every bleeding day

Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 17:19

From what I can gather they are actually partaking in religious activity - not just being taught about it. My DD like to tell me factualy about God and JC.

OP posts:
Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 17:19

From what I can gather they are actually partaking in religious activity - not just being taught about it. My DD like to tell me factualy about God and JC.

OP posts:
vjg13 · 07/09/2008 17:19

All non religious schools default to watered down C of E especially for Christmas and Easter.

Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 17:21

"Collective worship" is a requirement (our school got told off by OFSTED about not having it )"

To who?

OP posts:
supercollider · 07/09/2008 17:21

DS1 is definitely being taught about angels and heaven and stuff. He was very confused when I told him that his dad and I think it's not true. I don't want to encourage him to doubt his teacher, but in this instance it seemed unavoidable.

Majeika · 07/09/2008 17:22

you can ask for him to be excluded.

My ds is.

they do birthday assembly, singing assembly, superstar assembly.

DS does superstar assembly.

They will not teach the god stuff as facts but will pray together.

ds does not.

stitch · 07/09/2008 17:23

i think it is only once a week legal requirement, but dont quote me on the frequency. i do know that ofsted often criticises schools for not doing it often enough. not sure how often is enough to make them happy though

Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 17:23

Wahwah - I told DD that that 'Jesus is the saviour'etc is what some people believe but not all, she has responded by telling me but MrsX(teacher) says they are.

OP posts:
Blandmum · 07/09/2008 17:23

You can ask to have him withdrawn, but all schools in the UK will have an act of collective worship.

RockinSockBunnies · 07/09/2008 17:28

Acutally, it's possible for a school to officially opt-out of the collective worship requirement (unless they're Church schools of course). My DD's school in London has such a mix of different religions amongst its pupils, it would be somewhat daft for them to hold religious assemblies etc. The parents had a letter home about it recently, stating this policy. The children are still taught about various different religions in class but don't partake in worshiping!

SoupDragon · 07/09/2008 17:29

What do you mean "To who"??

Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 17:31

Soupdragon,

Sorry, I meant who do they worship, is it a christian god, a hindu deity - who?

OP posts:
mrz · 07/09/2008 17:33

a daily act of collective worship is statutory and it is supposed to be mainly Christian

wahwah · 07/09/2008 17:33

Yes, Bloomingfedup, that is something that worries me too-who do they trust to tell them the truth (and not THE TRUTH)?

My friend is atheist and decided not to say anything to her children about religion, thinking they should make up their own minds. Her oldest reported that they had been praying to 'the baby cheeses' at school and he didn't believe in them, anyway. Seems your dd paid attention!

supercollider · 07/09/2008 17:34

LOL at 'baby cheeses'

SoupDragon · 07/09/2008 17:35

Feck knows. Jamie Oliver and his Healthy Meals I think.

Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 17:35

LOL, baby cheeses.

OP posts:
northernrefugee39 · 07/09/2008 17:55

The primary school ours went to was a small community school- run by a kabal of born again christians.
Our daughter was *made to write "Dear Mum and Dad, Happy easter JESUS IS ALIVE"

Another teacher told the kids that all Muslims were stupid because they didn't believe in the same God as us.
Small northern village.
Horrendous.

The born again head then had an affair with another teacher, left her husband, who intermittently turned up in tears at events.
Rambling, sorry.
Don't know how pleased God was about it tho'

ethanchristopher · 07/09/2008 22:00

ARGHHH

my cousin (6) goes to "the ryleys" which is like a non-religious but really snobby and prestigous primary school in manchester

his teacher is a right bible basher!! and she was telling them all about the noah's ark story and terrified them all.

anyway the next day it was raining really badly and 6 children (my cousin included) refused to get out the car and go to school because they were scared it was going to flood.

idiot teacher.