Is it usual for primary school children to be taught that god created the world?

[strandednomore]

Dd1 is in Yr1 at our local primary school. It is a church of England school but very much our local, community school, walking distance to the house, where a lot of her friends and neighbours go etc.
She has come home from school today with information about what they will be doing this term. This includes "looking at god as the creator". I hadn't realised that "creationism" was being taught in schools. Ok if taught "some people believe..." but I fear it is being taught as the "truth" to a class of 6-yr-old sponges.
I will probably speak to her teacher about this but before I do does anyone know if this is normally taught in UK schools?
Thanks

I presume it's normal to teach that in a church of England school.

I should imagine that this is taught in every single C of E primary in the country.

Blimey, that's scary. I thought it was fairly well accepted now that someone called "god" did not create the world or everything in it (wasn't there someone called Darwin a while back who came up with a few alternative views?). I was hoping religious education in schools these days was more about morals (which I think it is as well). It's particularly worrying because so MANY very mainstream schools are CofE, it's not like we send them there because that is our particular beliefs - they are often the only real choice...

My dd is at a C of E school and they're taught creationism and evolution, apparently the teacher said they were both beliefs and that we'd only really know the truth when we die. DH's 'bollocks' could be heard a mile away!

That is that he said 'bollocks', not that he has noisy nadgers!

I dunno... They could be learning about it in the same way you might learn about "Hannuman the monkey god".... I mean "Hannuman" is "The Monkey God" just like "God" is "The Creator" - but only if you happen to believe in that.

Since CoE schools don't require that you belong or believe in any particular religion they shouldn't assume that everyone believes this.

I doubt they teach it in a creationist biblically literal way anyway. But you never know.

But it's worth going in and asking, ask to see their RE curriculum and Scheme of Work, or whether they use the LEA one.

Stranded, I think you're mistaken and it is not generally accepted there is no god and he didn't create the world, otherwise why would religious schools exist?

If I felt strongly that the beliefs a school followed were based on something false that I didn't want my kids to believe in or be influenced by I wouldn't send my kids there.

There is always a choice.

I can't actually get my head round the fact you didn't know religions still believe god.exists and created the world?

Genesis Chapter 1
No great shakes
the less of a fuss you make the sooner your DCs will grow out of it

The official stance of both the CofE and of the Roman Catholic church is that they believe in evolution. I don't know what that means for teaching in schools.

In my dd's school it depends on who the teacher is and what their beliefs are.

Currently, dd's teacher says things along the lines of 'some people believe'.

In Yr2 dd had to write the story of jesus as a small story book. Included in the project the children had to write a book blurb. The class teacher's example started "This true story ..." My dd was absolutely disgusted by this.

Yes you are right, there is always a choice. I could get in my car every day with my dd and her younger sister and drive to some far off school which wasn't full that year (there weren't many) and then drive back again at 3pm.Where none of her friends go and where we would not be able to be part of the local community. Or I could simply walk up the road for three minutes with them both. Hmmm. Not much of a choice is it? And personally I don't see why my local school should be teaching something to my child which I, like thinneratforty's dh and his noisy nadger's, think is basically total bollocks. To me it is like the local school teaching children they should all vote (pick your political party) when they are older as it's the right political party.
HOWEVER (deep breath) this was NOT meant to be an arguement about teaching religion in school because I know that arguement can go round in circles for ages! I just wanted to get a feel for how far my school has gone and whether I can pull them up on it. Himilaya thanks for your imput.

"God as the creator" does not automatically mean the same as "creationism". Christians in general (and probably many other religions I presume) believe that God created the world. That doesn't necessarily mean that God created all species as they are now, in 6 days. God could equally have called the earth into being and then set off a slow process which would cause life to evolve.

So it depends what exactly they are going to be teaching, and how much they say "some people believe" since even within Christianity there is not one single agreed position.

talkinpeace2 - yes I agree, but it's made me slightly cross that religion is an issue at all at this age as I find myself having to refute what they are taught at school in order to give some balance whereas I would rather they made their own mind up when they are old enough and mature enough to understand it all.

You know what - there's going to be a hundred things you disagree with while your kids are at school.

This isn't actually any more serious than most of them........

as indigo says
and don't bother refuting it - then it will just stick in DCs mind more
just let it wash past

I think it is taught in general terms in all primary schools. My ds (also in year 1, but not a C of E school) often comes home telling me about stories where Jesus did such and such. He was especially concerned before christmas whne he learnt about King Herod. ds said that he hoped he never meetds King Herad as he was horrid and might hurt him! I explained it is a story, ds said, "yes, but Jesus is real". My response was "many people believe he once was" and thats it, we moved on.

I remember being in primary school (not C of E) and being confused about the conflicting things I was being taught in different lessons (science and religious ed)!

Being taught the creation story from Genesis is not the same as "creationism"

There is a world of difference between "God as creator" and "Creationism".

I am a Christian - I think of God as the creative force behind the world, but I believe he achieved creation through the process of evolution. And so do most of the other people in my church.

Hold fire and see what they actually teach. Or go and ask the teacher how it will be approached.

Also, you say that you would like them to make their own minds up when they are old enough. That will only happen if they have some knowledge of the options. I'm not sure where you think they would find out about faith if not at school, since you are not going to teach them?

If you really want them to make their own minds up, you do have to let them hear about what other people believe. Otherwise they are only getting your views.

Also, they will never be "old enough and mature enough to understand it all". I'm not convinced anyone ever reaches that stage. Although I guess Buddha thought he had.

Being taught god is a creator, and belief in evolution are not mutually exclusive?

There is a.choice, homeschooling, or traveling further. It depends on your priorities. She would make new friends in a new school fgs. And I am not sure what would stop you being part of the community.

I don't see why a CHURCH school should stop teaching god is the creator due to some athiest parents, and I am sure many people think atheism is bollocks.

If your closest school wasn't a church school, but Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Buddhist would you still send your dcs there, to ensure convenience and you could be involved?

When you believe something, ie equality of men and woman, respectful to elders, lgbt rights, helping those less off, you teach your kids those values from a young age.

Why should religious people not do this?

Nailak , religious schools exist because the CoE was in the forefront of founding schools accessible to the general population, and then (afaik) the catholic church followed suit because of discrimination agaist catholics in CoE schools (they often exist very close together).
Then as state finding became the niorm, the CoE retained wonership of the bjuildings and governance of the school even though running costs were paid by the council.

In vast swathes of the country the only local schools are CoE schools in villages for miles and miles around.

My brothers children would have to travel 30 miles to a non CoE or Catholic school.
But then, because the church school is the ordinary village school, the faith aspect is not much more noticeable than the National Curriculum requirement that an act of christian worship be held in every school and that info about other faiths be imparted 'In addition to Christianity' which is presumed to take up the bulk of the teaching. You would travel 30 miles or lose your job and move house to move from a village CoE school to a community school that STILL taught the NC?

You could just send a letter to the school requesting that your daughter is removed from religious education lessons.

if i was worried that what they were learning was against my beliefs and i would homeschool.

if it is a choice between the integrity of my beliefs and concern over what is being taught to my kids and my job, personally i would choose to leave work, and look in to working from home, childminding, ebay business, tutoring etc

if i wasnt concerned about what they were learning then obviously i wouldnt do this.