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Original poster

Help with drafting a withdrawal letter

60 replies

Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 08:46

Hi Mumsnet

Could someone help me to draft a withdrawal letter from RE, please?

I’m not a native English speaker and don’t know how to word it. I want to withdraw my Year 7 daughter from her RE lessons.

My daughter has ASD and finds it difficult to concentrate if she finds something confusing. That’s how she usually says that RE is very confusing, and she doesn’t want to do it. She generally finds abstract things hard to comprehend, but she is massively into chemistry and biology, and she simply doesn’t get the idea of RE studies. She is in religious school, and she currently has 2 RE lessons per week, which last 90min each. Although, she is totally fine with masses. She only has a problem with RE as a discipline.

So, do I just simply say that I would like to withdraw my daughter from RE, or do I need to give a reason that she doesn’t understand the subject because of her condition?

In my home country, religion is not mixed with education, so I have no problems to withdraw her. My daughter will have a compulsory RE in her GCSE, so I initially thought to withdraw her in Year 9 or 10 closer to GCSE time, but I guess it needs to be dealt now.
Thanks

OP posts:
titchy · 19/12/2018 09:21

I'm not sure you can (or should given your reasons - lots of subjects are 'woolly', particularly humanities). You can of course withdraw her from acts of worship, but not a national curriculum subject.

babysharkah · 19/12/2018 09:38

I don't think you can withdraw her from classes?

What would you expect them to do with her in that time? Withdraw from acts of worship yes but not classes.

Theoryofmould · 19/12/2018 09:53

I thought R.S. was compulsory? It is at my children's schools.
My son is ASD and doesn't like R.S. but he still has to sit in lessons.

Original poster
Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 10:20

Thanks for your answers.

I’m very confused though. I have read that a parent has a right to withdraw.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/190260/DCSF-00114-2010.pdf (Page 17). Is it wrong ? I have also read it across the Internet.

In Year 7, there are a few student who are withdrawn from citizenship classes. They usually stay in the library. So she would do the same. I would give her some maths exercises to do, so she could do it in the library; she could also read. She currently does Kumon, so she could do her Kumon sheets. I’m not that worried about this aspect. I just don’t know how to write a letter.
Could anybody help please?

OP posts:
babysharkah · 19/12/2018 10:45

You're missing the point op, you can't just withdraw them from a core curriculum subject. I can't just withdraw my kid from maths or geography because they don't get it.

Citizenship is not a core subject,

JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 19/12/2018 10:48

Er are you withdrawing from history and geography too? RS covers skills of argument, ethics, philosophy. All really good foundations if going into law or medicine. You can't just do science and maths amd skip humanities...

JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 19/12/2018 10:51

I wonder if the confusion is over the content? Its not religious instruction or sunday school, but what might be called "social studies" in some countries alongside ethics and philosophy.

Typical subjects will include medical ethics, prejudice and discrimination (often looking at martin luther king amd rosa parks), ethics of war, historical arguments for existence of God/life after death and the robust philosophy behind arguing either position, critical thinking, awareness of what various religions believe (key festivals etc, key to living in a multicultural society ). I dont think youd want your child to be ignorant of these things?

babysharkah · 19/12/2018 10:54

I also have to question why your out your child in a religious school if you want to withdraw them from RK. I would imagine the religious ethos runs a lot deeper than the Rk lessons.

JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 19/12/2018 11:03

Ah twigged you've said masses. If its a catholic school then there will be a lot of catjolic practice in the school. If you want to avoid that you realky need a different school.

Original poster
Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 11:04

No, my daughter isn’t going to miss any other subjects, but my question isn’t about that.

In my country, we don’t have RE as a school subject, and perfectly fine. All other subjects are still the same. She studied RE at her primary, and she knows the theory of it.
I have researched different laws. looks like I have right to withdraw. And since she just daydreams during the lessons anyway, I think it is wiser for me to approach it now, so she could do her extra math Kumon during this time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 11:10

Yes, it is a Catholic school. She attends masses with no problem. The problem is RE as a discipline. It is pure religion about god etc. not general questions as a social study discipline. She doesn’t even get the questions, when she has tests. They also work with the bible.

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 19/12/2018 11:12

Dear head of year 7,

I am writing to request that my daughter Constanza be withdrawn from RE lessons as from the start of next term as is my right under government rules.

Please can you make arrangements for her to have a suitable location to go to during RE lessons. No extra work needs to be provided, I will ensure she has homework or reading to do in that time.

Kind Regards

Crazybird

TeenTimesTwo · 19/12/2018 11:15

See above. I wouldn't get too involved in writing your reasons. You have the right of withdrawal and you are exercising it.

You may like to add a final paragraph regarding religious worship.
e.g.
I am happy for Constanza to continue to attend the brief religious assembly at the start of each day if you find it more convenient.
or
I would also like for Constanza to be withdrawn from any religious worship activities.

Plus also
If you would like to discuss this with me, please let me know

MissWimpyDimple · 19/12/2018 11:16

She is at a religious school. It's part of the package.

Maybe you should look at moving her school.

Original poster
Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 11:18

Thank you, TeenTimes :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 11:23

MissWimpyDimple, my daughter is a Roman Catholic. To me, it is different to be a Catholic and study RE as a school discipline. To us, religion and school education are two different things. I want her to attend church and worship, because she gets involved. In her RE, she just falls into dreamland state, when she isn’t aware of her surrounding and when she just keeps staring at the wall or draws things uncontrollably. :’(

OP posts:
TooMuchEyeliner · 19/12/2018 11:23

You definitely have the right to withdraw your DD from RE lessons and I agree there could be a better use of her time given the reasons you've stated.

The letter TeenTimesTwo has drafted is perfect. Good luck Smile

Original poster
Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 11:24

That’s my reason to withdraw. She just wastes 180 hours a week.

OP posts:
Original poster
Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 11:25

Thank you TooMuch

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 19/12/2018 11:28

180 hours a week ! Grin

JustRichmal · 19/12/2018 11:29

The parent of a pupil at a community, foundation or voluntary school has the right to request that the pupil be excused from all or part of the RE provided. They do not have to provide a reason and the school must comply with their request.

So, yes you can. The school will probably want to discuss it. Do consider it carefully as it is good for the child to have an overview of religion in a multicultural society. Perhaps your dd could go to a non religious school for secondary? She could then see if with being older and getting a more varied view she could cope.

alansleftfoot · 19/12/2018 11:30

If you withdraw you have to provide alternate work.

Original poster
Crazybird2018 · 19/12/2018 11:42

Haha I mean minutes. I’m still learning my English :D

JustRichmal, it would be hard for me to find another school now. She is settled here, and she has lots of friends. Also she is Catholic so it is a good school for her. I did show her another school, which I liked, but she hated it so much (because she didn’t like the building!). She actually had a massive meltdown with lots of tears and loud crying, when we looked at it. We didn’t even go inside. It is hard for me to convince her if she doesn’t like something, unfortunately.

OP posts:
JustRichmal · 19/12/2018 12:30

Crazybird2018, Well then, yes, it would not be right to move her. I had not read carefully enough why you wanted to take her out of RE and had misunderstood your reasons. You are right though, you do have the right for her not to go to RE lessons.
TeenTimesTwo's letter seems good to me.

OrgyofSausages · 19/12/2018 12:46

It sounds to me as if you want her to be a Catholic but you don't want her to learn about other religions and faiths/cultures/creeds which s what they do in the R.S syllabus. Are you happy with that? I wouldn't be.

And when she falls in to a 'dreamlike state' in History.....or MFL....or Maths. What then?