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Primary education

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Original poster

Primary State schools and religion.

12 replies

1Catherine1 · 23/08/2012 21:36

I've tried to google this but I can't think of suitable key words that will find me what I need so I thought I'd try my luck here.

So many moons ago when I was in a non-denominational state primary school, we used to sing hymns and pray everyday. It was quite obviously a Christian school. I then went to a Catholic secondary school. Now I'm all grown up, I teach in a non-denominational secondary school which has about 40% of its catchment that are not white British. We do not pray or sing hymns although we do have occasions where pupils "take a moment to contemplate".

So I was wondering (After a discussion with DH regarding DD religious upbringing) whether primary schools are like this any more? Or are they more like the set up we have in secondary school?

If they are still like this, what happens if a parent does not wish for their child to be fed religion as fact?

TIA

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 23/08/2012 21:50

The law is that all schools must have a daily act of collective worship. In community schools this must be wholly or mainly of a Christian nature.

Many schools ignore this requirement (including, from the sounds of it, the secondary school where you teach). Even where it does take place, you would often be hard put to find any real Christian content or children being fed religion as fact.

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from collective worship if they wish.

RillaBlythe · 23/08/2012 21:55

Don't know, my dd has been at preschool in a non denominational school. She has been told all about baby Jesus, angels watching her, heaven blah blah - think that her nursery teacher is a believer. About 50% of her class are actively of other religions. Apparently there have been complaints in previous years. Really hoping the reception teacher checks the god stuff at the door, if she is another Christian.

workshy · 23/08/2012 22:01

my DCs primary has assembly every morning

they still use songs of praise (which I think is vv funny -ah the memories)

they talk about the main festivals of all religions, and cover bullying/self esteme/friendships etc etc etc

they quite often talk about assemblies they have enjoyed and neither has been brainwashed into being a believer, although my youngest thinks it might be quite nice to believe because then she could join the salvation army and be in a the christmas play -but this has come from her friend, not the school

IndigoBell · 23/08/2012 22:29

As usual prh47 is correct.

It's law to have a daily act of worship - but there is absolutely no way to tell how it will be done in your DCs school.

You can however withdraw your child from it.

vjg13 · 24/08/2012 15:56

The two primary schools that I have experienced seem to have watered down church of England as the default position.

Original poster
1Catherine1 · 24/08/2012 21:41

Thank you for your responses. I feel a lot more informed now, thanks to your responses I thought of better key words to google and have done plenty more reading. I found a page that said that "Schools can apply to the local authority's SACRE for exemption from the "broadly Christian" requirement for some or all of their pupils.", so perhaps this is why my school doesn't do that, given the religious diversity.

thanks again...

OP posts:
Pyrrah · 24/08/2012 22:45

Basically comes down to how religious the HT is...

melody1771 · 25/08/2012 12:39

RillaBlyth
I am not trying to pick a fight here but really wonder about the answer to this question.
I am a christian and talking about God comes naturally to me. I teach in a Church school so am 'allowed' to mention it during the day. I am VERY careful about saying 'some people believe' rather than 'we believe' and according to my non christian friends I do not ram religion down their throats. My beliefs are very personal to me and I respect that not everyone feels the same way.

What I am wondering is why you get annoyed that your child is told about God. If you don;t believe anything then surely it is no different than your child being told about dragons and fairies - neither of which are true. Why is it worse to tell a child about God than it is to tell of a little girl who lived with 7 dwarfs?
As I said just wondering not hoping for an argument!!!

Mel

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 25/08/2012 12:54

My child is in a community school, not a church school. She now knows quite a few hymns, has been singing 'we have a king who rides a donkey' and other child-friendly hymns featuring God and Jesus.

I am more than happy for her to learn about religions and what bible stories are about. I would not be happy for her to be taught about God/Jesus as fact.

If DD asked me whether Snow White really lived with 7 dwarfs, I would explain that it is just a story, made up. They know that dragons and monsters are pretend too.

I have only mentioned, when asked about God, that some people believe it is true, and some people don't. Personally, I believe it is just a story. I agree with many of the underlying principles/morals associated with some religions, the generally being a good person etc, and er, not murdering people Grin but some of it I feel is both nonsensical and positively harmful.

I have not withdrawn her from 'collective worship' as I don't mind it, ( I went to a CofE primary but I am still an atheist) I have told her that she doesn't have to pray, she can just sit quietly instead - she told me that they have to pray in assembly Hmm . I want her to respect other people's beliefs.

melody1771 · 25/08/2012 13:02

Thanks for the reply moaning.
As I said I always say 'some people believe' and I invite children to pray in assembly but dont force them to. I do insist they are quiet when other people are praying as I think everyone should respect what other people believe. Do teachers really teach that God is a fact? I am not sure how they would do that. The trouble with little children is that they believe everything their teacher tells them! My class of 4 year olds would be convinced that they were fish if I told them they were!!!!
Mel

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 25/08/2012 13:22

Really Mel? My 3yo would say you were teasing him and being silly if you told him he was a fish Grin

He is pretty confident though. The whole 'they will believe anything you tell them' bit is exactly why I have quite strong feelings about how religion is taught in school. The new HT is a very committed Christian so I will be seeing if this changes anything at school too.

FWIW if there was an option of a totally secular school, I would choose that. I would still want the children to learn about religions though, I think it is important.

I am not anti-religion at all, in some ways I am quite envious of people with faith when I see the comfort and hope it can give them. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

RillaBlythe · 25/08/2012 17:03

Melody, I don't mind her being told about God. I love the Christmas story & was delighted that she played Mary in the nursery nativity. If her teacher was talking about other religions too - which she is not - or presenting it in a 'some people believe' way that would be fine to me. But she is presenting it as an absolute truth.

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