DD started at CofE primary, where they are teaching Noah’s Ark as fact

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DD started reception at CofE primary, where have found they are teaching Noah’s Ark as fact, surely not normal?

There was no indication Christianity would be taught this way, although head teacher changed for this term so could be their new influence?

I am an atheist, although I went to a CofE primary where the local Vicar taught a lesson each week, and it wasn’t the case there. I was always taught that bible stories were parables, not fact. None of my church going Christian friends believe in Noah’s ark (or admit to it perhaps).

Am I stupid to be surprised by the teaching at this school?

Choice of schools locally very poor, Ofsted 3-4, although the school we went for is a 2. If non-faith schools had been comparable we of course wouldn’t have picked this one.

YABU as an atheist to send your child to a Christian school,

How wonderful it would be if atheists and agnostics did not finish up having to send their children to faith schools. State-funded state schools are a disgrace and should be banned, as in France. Many faith-free parents have no choice in the matter.

I think you are completely overthinking it.

My Ds loved bible stories and took them as fact in reception. He had a lot of faith.

It was never a bad philosophy for a 4 year old. By year 4 believes the Big Bang theory.

Let dc enjoy the stories

The teaching of biblical stories as fact (especially the old testament) would set me off on a report to OfSted.

Well science teachers aren't allowed to teach evolution as fact. They have to teach it as a theory. So I'm surprised RE teachers are allowed to teach creationism as fact!

My Dd goes to a c.of.e school & the vicar comes to do assembly most mornings,the school is so amazing that I don't actually care what hes banging on about as she will make up her own mind when she's older about any religion & I certainly don't feel the need to interfere as its primary school..abit of Mary & Joseph,Noah's ark,advent candles !!! It's hardly inciting religious fanatics..people need to get a grip..p.s I don't believe in God,my choice though..she can make her own 😀

None of my church going Christian friends believe in Noah’s ark (or admit to it perhaps).

Mmmmkaaay.

How do you know they were teaching it as fact? If it is just the word of your reception-age child, that is no evidence at all. My reception age child told me it was a fact that the TA was an alien (she had dressed up as one for a drama session).

My DS attends a CofE school, it's the only school in our small town. I have told him that the bible was written a long time ago & no one alive now was alive when it was written so we can't be sure if it's facts or made up stories. Now he is in year 4, there's less emphasis on the bible stuff but it was pretty heavy sometimes in the first couple of years.

I doubt that it is being taught as fact

Your child has taken it literally.

I would double and triple check that the statement in your thread title is accurate before you come out of a meeting with the class teacher or head with your face burning

If this really bothers you you can request they be removed from all religious ed.

I am willing to bet the farm it isn't being taught as fact, and that your child has taken it literally as Barton says.

Let me tell you now, getting this worked up and overthinking at this stage doesn't bode well for the next 10 years

People always say that others are getting worked up, or overthinking or even getting hysterical when they want to shut down the questioning of things that suit them. The OP’s child may well have got the wrong end of the stick. But there are schools and individual teachers who do present bible stories as fact. The only way to find out what happened is to ask. Most people, including most Christians, would not want their child being taught the Old Testament as history. Or geography, for that matter.

Its even worse where I live. Both secondary schools that people in my street stand a chance of getting into are undersubscribed C of E schools. One is in Special Measures the other is Good. The second school especially is very "spiritual", both became faith schools when they converted to Academies, goodness knows why. The two nearest non faith secondaries are both over subscribed and in different local authorities.

We sent ds to a private school for two years until he was able to get into a state school in a nearby area that starts in Year 9.

So very often it is NOT a choice.

How are they telling it as fact ? Most school will tell bible stories have prayers etc etc how were you planning to avoid it the school is a faith school you could withdraw her from RE you are entitled to do that but you can't have an attack of the vapours when they tell her a story about animals going in 2 x2 to avoid a flood!

Do you mean to tell me Noah's Ark wasn't real?

You'll be telling me there is no tooth fairy next

I'd also suggest that Reception age kids don't always report home 100% accurately. If you are interested, look at the school website, but if that doesn't tell you enough, make an appointment to see the teacher. Don't be surprised that a CofE school does take large chunks of the Bible as literal truth though.

The OP clearly isn't worked up about this given it was their one and only post ever.

“you can't have an attack of the vapours when they tell her a story about animals going in 2 x2 to avoid a flood!”

See? There it is again- “attack of the vapors”. It is perfectly OK not to want your child of any age^ to be told that the Old Testament is in any way a historical document.

I HATE this attitude that I see regularly on here when people question things like this, that you are unreasonable to send your child to a Christian school if you are an Atheist. Do people seriously have no idea how little choice there is for most people?! That does not mean that you have to be happy about it, or that there are other options! Why should you avoid the local school because this country has decided that Christianity is necessary for primary aged children?! Religion belongs at home, not in the classroom, and if it really has to be in the classroom, then it should be extremely impartial and absolutely not taught as fact.

When my son started in reception, I was very wary about the way that Christianity was being taught, so I asked how it was put across to the children, and how impartial it was. I was told that it was very mild and mindful of other religions. It absolutely wasn't the case at all. In week one he came home with what I can only describe as indoctrinating worksheets and repeating Bible stories as fact.

We have since moved him to a free school, which does not have any element of collective worship. This isn't a possibility for most people though, so if it hadn't been for us then our next step would have been to remove him from collective worship.

@bumblebee1987 I asked why the op sent her child to a faith school if she wasn't of that faith.

I genuinely did not know that people don't have any choice in a lot of areas. Where I live it's hard to get your child into a faith school because most are just normal state schools of no faith.

My own children go to a faith school. The school is Roman Catholic and although we aren't catholic we are Christians so it's very similar. I know the school are really heavy on the religion which is obviously fine if you're a member of that religion but I'm not surprised people object if they are atheist.

After reading other comments on this thread about people not having a choice I've considered myself educated and also thankful that I live in an area where people get a choice wether or not to send their child to a faith school.

Yes, but you indoctrinate DC in your beliefs. Let the child make their own mind up. If the majority at a school are happy, you have to suck it up. You won’t know what the majority feel but you won’t get a c of e school to change. It’s like everything else you might not like. A school isn’t tailored to a few parents. No school is. There are far worse things than this. You get teachers off sick for months, a stream of supply teachers, a useless head and a failing school then you might have something to really get concerned about. Save your ire for worst case scenarios. No wonder there’s a shortage of decent head teachers.

Most members of the Church of England don’t believe in the literal truth of the story of Noah’s Ark!

YABU as an atheist to send your child to a Christian school

Rubbish. Why should OP have fewer choices of school (or no school at all in some areas) because she's not religious.

“YABU as an atheist to send your child to a Christian school”

Fair enough- so long as Christians stop applying to non faith schools. Deal?

Honestly as bubbles points out there are far worse things!

If they're teaching it as literal truth, I do hope they are also including the important fact that it happened when Noah was 600 years old. Also that they're not going with that 'two of every animal' rubbish. There were 14 of every bird, and of every clean animal, as any fule kno.