How do you find out whether creationism is taught in a primary school? or given as much credence as evolution?

[Enid]

because it will irritate me if dd1s C of E prmary does this

you will probably find that even though religious schools do teach creationism, it will be as a part of RE. evolution will be taught as scientific fact

I don't think they have to be confused though, like I said, my dad told me one thing, and school another

same with a lot of things in life really

yes agree oo

I know they can work stuff out for themselves

but it annoys me

It's where it's taught that matters isn't it?Creationism taught in RE is different to creationism taught in science. I'd echo the others - ask the school.

oh yes, but think of all the homework you can cross out with a red pen

Enid - I don't know the answer to your question but you are right to look into this. I keep a close eye and talk to my children about what they have done at school for the same reasons as you but had a tricky time when I had to go to the board of governors as they had someoen come in from outside to do assemblies who was very eveangelical and it was very tricky to get to the bottom of it all.

not implying you dn't talk to your children, was trying to say that even though I talk to my childrena dn keep a close eye it ws a while before I realised about these assemblies.

yes its this outside stuff that is annoying me

we have a new head of governors

he has a fish on his (big yellow) van and a painted thing on it saying 'Harold looney - spreading the word of god!'

help

OO that depends how its handled, as I said ds12 was told Mummy was lying to him about evolution.
We've always taught him to listen to his teachers and he was upset by that, but its a debate we've had and lost before.

I'm really shocked that this is even a possibility in English schools, let alone that it is apparently actually happening - RE at my kids' school (state county primary) covered all the religions but creationism was never mentioned (it's not a separate religion anyway, is it, just says God created dinosaurs too???)

When did this start or has it always been around in CofE schools? (Or other schools with mad heads?)

Ohh, Enid, I have never considered this before and you have made me think now. Ds is due to start at CofE village primary school in village in Sept (no other nearby alternative) and I am already concerned about how religious it actually is (regular visits to church etc).

Ours is a voluntary controlled school so the whole of the running costs come from the LEA. As far as I am concerned, this means that they should be sensitive to the views of athieists in the community and their educational wishes for their children - they are not however and it makes me hopping mad!

If you want to find out about creationism and schools, have a look at the community pages on the TES website. The science teachers are hopping mad about the amount of stuff they are sent by creationist groups.

Are you in Somerset? Each local education authority has it's own RE syllabus - it's the only bit that will be different across the country as everything else is National Curriculum. Somerset's RE syllabus is here , if you are interested. The Science curriculum in KS2 does cover some aspects of evolution - there are bits in the 'Life Processes' strand that teach about animal adaptation to suit their environments etc.

I would be worried about creationism too, although I would think it unlikely to be taught as fact in C of E primaries in this country. Do ask the school though, if you're worried.

I'm shocked that any school would teach creationism in direct refute of evolution these days in this country - I thought this kind of nonsense only happenned in the deep South of the US. I don't have too much of a problem with it being taught in RE as a part of Christianity as long as other "stories" from other religions are also covered - but to tell a child that evolution is untrue is deeply, deeply wrong and I would be livid if anyone in authority said this to my child. My sons are not at school yet but this has really made me think. I am not planning to send them to a church school and luckily there are some non church funded schools in our area - not that we could anyway I don't think as they are not christened and we aren't church goers - but please tell me this wouldn't be allowed in a non-church funded school?

I have long thought it is terrible that atheists are discriminated so much in our education system. If people from a particular religion were specifically excluded from a school on the grounds of their religion (or lack of it) or beliefs eg evolution there would be an outcry.

I think the evangelicals try to teach evolution as "just one theory" of how the world came to exist.

Enid - good luck with that then as that is one big christain charing board of gov - hope he is balanced and fair. Come on here if you need to do anything - I did when I had to approach the (very christain) board of govenrors and I got some fab advice and they were very balanced and fair (only because mumsnet helped me write on hell of an inteeligent comprehensive letter!)

ooh ta dimpled

it worries me

btu am aware that I have 'chosen' tio send dd1 there (even though it is only one in catchment)

exactly the same thing I had when talking to other parents 'well you did send him to a CofE school' but they have to respect others and (only rarely) they need reminding of this.

(please no on e tell me off)

As I understand it state funded schools do not teach creationism as a science subject - and there is a paper by a Christian organisation called something like 'Eclisiast' which details the difference between teaching evolution as a science subject, and creationsism within RE. And that they do not support the teaching of creationism as a science subject.

The crucial difference is whether it is taught as part of the RE curriculum , i.e 'this is what some people believe as part of theri religion' and what is taught in the science curriculum.

I may be worng but I thought that the only state sector school where this was becoming an issue was in those Academies funded by the Christian fundementalist car-dealer.

Yeah but....

if its the only one in Catchment then its not chosen is it?

Would have happily sent ds's elsewhere had there been another, but fragging two asd kids and an nt one for a 30 minute (more like 60 minute with ds3) walk in the rain each day wasn't an option really, not when there's one across the road.

I do think the chosen argument applies only to those who specifically choose a school because of C of E (or results !!) or select C of E when others in catchment exist.

Exactly, Peachy.
There are huge swathes of tyhe country where the only local state schools are village CoE schools.
But since I don't know any practising Christians who actually believe Genesis to the last literal letter over and above Darwinian theories, I would be surprised if a Southern American Bible Belt ethos was making it's way into primary textbooks.

I would imagine, when it occurs, that its one slightly too fundamentalist teacher, rather than a whole school policy (iyswim) and this is hard to vet, unless as with ours the school has funding reasons for it (and a syllabus set in or around 1746- I kid you not )

Sometimes it's like the Enlightenment never happened...

saw a peopel carrieer today wiht TWO stickers on it
one for home ed (!)and one abotu the bibel and all you need ot knwo is in genesis

It is massively unlikely that a CofE primary would teach creationism as part of their science curriculum. Really, so unlikely I wouldn't fret over it.

Christianity does not imply a belief in biblical creationism.