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Original poster

Pagan faith school / college

258 replies

DaughtersofFrya · 06/04/2023 18:28

There are many faith schools, but no Pagan ones, and I'd be interested to hear some opinions on the subject. Would you like to have attended one, or would you consider sending your children to one in the future, for example?

OP posts:
Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 06:32

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 06:23

My other question is what is your school going to teach. Aside from paganism. What GCSEs an A levels? and how, without qualified teachers?

You don't need qualifications to teach in a home school setting, for example.

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Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 06:34

DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 06:30

A member here in a position to know has already told you that they don't consider themselves Pagan, though there might be individual Pagans who teach at them.

What do you mean by saying that they look Pagan to you?

They are part of the New Age movement, which is heavily influenced by Christianity and Eastern thought, as well as modern psychology and other techniques and theories. These things are fine, of course, but are not Paganism.

I've just had a look at their website and there is no mention of Paganism. So you'll have to argue now that they're trying to hide it, for some reason.

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ok, lets try it this way

what is your definition of paganism

breifly in a nutshell

marcopront · 08/04/2023 06:34

Our group will provide the teachers. You don't need formal qualifications to teach in a home school, for example.

So you are not planning on having qualified teachers?

Will the students be able to take GCSEs?

Are you planning on doing DBS check?

Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 06:36

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 06:34

ok, lets try it this way

what is your definition of paganism

breifly in a nutshell

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I can't give you one briefly in a nutshell.

What I can say, though, is that Pagans tend to recognise each other.

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Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 06:38

marcopront · 08/04/2023 06:34

Our group will provide the teachers. You don't need formal qualifications to teach in a home school, for example.

So you are not planning on having qualified teachers?

Will the students be able to take GCSEs?

Are you planning on doing DBS check?

Yes, GCSE's will certainly be an option.

We won't be hiring teachers who are not already known to us.

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Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 06:42

from the pagan federation, whoever they are

A definition of Paganism: A polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion.

well that is 100% steiner

The same page says there are 6 main times of pagan religion, and an unlimited number of others

The british library says there are two main types of pagans religions in the UK, wicca and druidry , both founded in the 1950s, and an unlimited number of other smaller ones.

Are you from wicca or druidry?

Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 06:48

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 06:42

from the pagan federation, whoever they are

A definition of Paganism: A polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion.

well that is 100% steiner

The same page says there are 6 main times of pagan religion, and an unlimited number of others

The british library says there are two main types of pagans religions in the UK, wicca and druidry , both founded in the 1950s, and an unlimited number of other smaller ones.

Are you from wicca or druidry?

To say that you've never heard of the Pagan Federation betrays your complete lack of knowledge of the subject. But by no means all Pagans are members of, or support, the PF.

I don't know if Steiner believed in those things, but I do know that he was a monotheist, which Pagans are not. Again, no criticism intended here, just a description of facts.

No, I'm not a follower of either Wicca or Druidry.

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Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 06:57

steiners and pantheist, they pray to all sort of bits of nature, like soil and fire, etc.

Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 07:02

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 06:57

steiners and pantheist, they pray to all sort of bits of nature, like soil and fire, etc.

Do they? There's nothing about that on their website, nor any mention of Paganism.

Furthermore, I don't know of any Pagans who "pray" to "all sorts of bits of nature". Praying is what monotheists do.

I think you are approaching this from something of a hostile perspective.

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Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 07:03

but I am interested to hear more about your school. It what way does already being known to you make someone a suitable teacher? and who is going to teach GCSEs? And what GCSES and A levels are you going to be offering?

I think it would be very easy to set this up, as you would only need a building and about 3 children and 3 adults, as a minimum, but I just dont see where it would go.

How are the adults going to be supported? What if one of your volunteer teachers gets pregnant, for example, what sort of maternity package are you offering? Have these adults got their own children to put in the school?

So would it be like, effectively, a couple of families getting together in a commune type situation and calling it a school? How would you deal with inspections and the like? And how would you offer science GCSE? Presumably by using iGCSE, all text book work and no practicals? AS you would need qualified teachers, or you wouldn't get insurance for practicals, same as PE,

Please explain more

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 07:06

DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 07:02

Do they? There's nothing about that on their website, nor any mention of Paganism.

Furthermore, I don't know of any Pagans who "pray" to "all sorts of bits of nature". Praying is what monotheists do.

I think you are approaching this from something of a hostile perspective.

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no, I am not hostile. I am a teacher, an have a background in biological research, where I encountered a few people who called themselves pagan, and prayed to lots of bits of nature! including cell cultures, and DNA samples...Also we have a local Steiner school, which I have some professional dealings with ( ok, I am a bit hostile to some of them, as they have treated some children I know absolutely brutally)

and I am interested and very confused

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 07:09

and also, I have to say, I just dont think it will work, and am trying to visualise in my head what sort of educational establishment this would end up being like - and I am thinking a couple of families in a sort of commune situation is maybe what it will be, and that has the possibility of working out...

setting up a proper boarding school with volunteer teachers chosen only from your own personal knowledge of them, no, I cant imagine that working

marcopront · 08/04/2023 07:10

We won't be hiring teachers who are not already known to us.

I assume that means no DBS checks.

So the teaching will be done by people
who don't need to have qualifications,
are assumed to not be a danger to children because you know them
don't need to be paid because they have better values than other teachers
will eat all their meals with the students

So you and a group of friends will live together, teach each other's children and call it a school

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 07:10

I mean, you would immediately fail and be closed down on safeguarding alone...

Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 07:11

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 07:03

but I am interested to hear more about your school. It what way does already being known to you make someone a suitable teacher? and who is going to teach GCSEs? And what GCSES and A levels are you going to be offering?

I think it would be very easy to set this up, as you would only need a building and about 3 children and 3 adults, as a minimum, but I just dont see where it would go.

How are the adults going to be supported? What if one of your volunteer teachers gets pregnant, for example, what sort of maternity package are you offering? Have these adults got their own children to put in the school?

So would it be like, effectively, a couple of families getting together in a commune type situation and calling it a school? How would you deal with inspections and the like? And how would you offer science GCSE? Presumably by using iGCSE, all text book work and no practicals? AS you would need qualified teachers, or you wouldn't get insurance for practicals, same as PE,

Please explain more

We will be using the home school model, for which no formal qualifications are required. Home schoolers can, and do, take their kids through GCSEs and A-levels. As for what specific ones we will offer, that will depend on circumstances. As you say, the school might be very small at first. There is no requirement to follow the national curriculum.

We already have a small community, and all the teachers will be members of it. Pregnancy will not be an issue as all our members are celibate.

Home schoolers are sometimes inspected by the local education authority and we have no issue with this.

OP posts:
Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 07:12

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 07:06

no, I am not hostile. I am a teacher, an have a background in biological research, where I encountered a few people who called themselves pagan, and prayed to lots of bits of nature! including cell cultures, and DNA samples...Also we have a local Steiner school, which I have some professional dealings with ( ok, I am a bit hostile to some of them, as they have treated some children I know absolutely brutally)

and I am interested and very confused

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Pagans don't pray. That's a monotheist term.

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JustAnotherManicNameChange · 08/04/2023 07:34

What do you actually plan to teach at this school?

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 07:37

DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 07:12

Pagans don't pray. That's a monotheist term.

Show quote history

ok, they talk and sing and chant to the spirit in the fire, and the spirit in the soil, and the spirit in the DNA sample, or whatever it is called, the being in there, or the gnomes and sprites and things like that. I would call that praying ,but if pagans use another word for it, I dont know that word,

Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 07:37

JustAnotherManicNameChange · 08/04/2023 07:34

What do you actually plan to teach at this school?

The curriculum will focus on nature based subjects and physical fitness, and we intend to hold classes outdoors wherever possible.

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JustAnotherManicNameChange · 08/04/2023 07:42

@Nimbostratus100 I think it's worship.

marcopront · 08/04/2023 07:47

The curriculum will focus on nature based subjects and physical fitness, and we intend to hold classes outdoors wherever possible.

What GCSEs might you do then?

ErrolTheDragon · 08/04/2023 07:50

Sherrystrull · 08/04/2023 00:54

It sounds like a cult and indoctrination. Randomly selecting people who are keen to work for free to teach children is a humongous recipe for disaster and safeguarding nightmare.

The one word the op rebutted there was 'randomly', but I'm not sure it's improved much by replacing that by 'using people we know', from the POV of a parent considering whether to send their child to this 'school'.

The mention that everyone is celibate isn't particularly reassuring either tbh.

Nimbostratus100 · 08/04/2023 07:54

JustAnotherManicNameChange · 08/04/2023 07:42

@Nimbostratus100 I think it's worship.

thank you

Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 07:56

marcopront · 08/04/2023 07:47

The curriculum will focus on nature based subjects and physical fitness, and we intend to hold classes outdoors wherever possible.

What GCSEs might you do then?

That will depend on circumstances, but in addition to the usual ones, archaeology would probably be a good one.

OP posts:
Original poster
DaughtersofFrya · 08/04/2023 07:57

ErrolTheDragon · 08/04/2023 07:50

The one word the op rebutted there was 'randomly', but I'm not sure it's improved much by replacing that by 'using people we know', from the POV of a parent considering whether to send their child to this 'school'.

The mention that everyone is celibate isn't particularly reassuring either tbh.

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It's not just "people we know". It will be members of our group.

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