Opt-out of religious service

[Dalooah]

DC is at primary school and there's an upcoming church service for Christmas. We are not keen on religious 'things' and was wondering what the best way it would be to opt out of this 'activity'. It's not based at school, it's a walk away at the church local to the school. Is it even a possibility to opt out? What would DC do if this was possible? What's the best way to ask?

Thanks!

I have very fond memories of church services and nativity plays at primary school. I do still attend church on occasion but I would hazard a guess that the majority of my peers do not. In my experience primary school experiences don't turn children into religious fanatics.

Plus, if you opt out of everything religious then that includes lots of things that you might not actually have a problem with and that your child would really enjoy. A class Christmas party for example.

I felt quite cross when a member of the PTA at my kids' school helped to organise a Christmas lunch for the parents, which she joined in with wholeheartedly, and then I found out that she had withdrawn her child from all religious activities at school and so her child had to miss his class Christmas party. It felt so unnecessary to me for her to make him miss his when she had happily joined in hers.

cherry2727 Yes it does seem odd to make that choice and then complain!

If you have such strong views against religious services why send your child to a religious school. There are always other options, you may not like them but no one is forcing you to send your child to a religious school.

Ibouncetothebeat there is no option for secular education in the uk and many parents do not have a choice over being sent to a faith school.

I'm wondering why people would send their kids to a Church of England school If they aren't keen "on the religious element"
That's an integral part to the school day during assembly!!
I used to work in a church school and it was very different to an academy I did some temping for

The Christian religion teaches love with conditions. Love that if you pray to him (on your knees in "his" church) you are worthy of. What a load of bollocks.

If God is real he/it/them/they is the ultimate evil. He created everything? From cancer to flesh eating bacteria. Why? Even if he was real why would you worship anything that did that? Why would you respect it?

Your non existent "God" loves no-one but themselves.

This

What's your big issue with it? I'm an atheist but take my kids in churches because they're beautiful, peaceful and part of our cultural heritage. (And a free place to visit on a rainy day!)

What are you afraid of?

My previous rant over. OP I would let them go. It's important to learn about religion as it is a huge part of human culture and history. As long as the school are adressing it as "Christians believe" and not fact I see no problem.

I don't believe that is the teaching of the Anglican Church. Its certainly not the teaching of the Catholic Church. No conditions. Love one another. That's it. Simple message.

collective worship but why would you? It’s not some... brainwashing ritual.

This was true of the CofE my kids went to until it wasn't any more when a new headteacher came and started to buy in the regular services of a non-CofE Christian organisation for assemblies etc. Apparently it got worse after we moved house and hence school. Again it was the only practical school to attend (rural).

There are always other options,

I promise you there are not in many locations.

You can opt out but it's really not the done thing - everyone went at my kids school including the Muslim, Hindi, Sikh and Jewish kids, their parents came along too. The curriculum in schools is world religions not indoctrination unless it's a religious school (c of e still tend to be nominal in villages but in cities opt for a different school of you don't want a Christian education £

Would you also withdraw them from visiting the other 5 world religions holy buildings?

If you are an atheist family it's very unlikely that your children will join the god squad just from attending some church events.

I'm guessing from your username that you're Muslim. Am I right? I'm Muslim as well and I send both of my children to a CofE school. We are a religious and practising family btw and I never had any issues with them taking part in Christian religious activities in the local church. My eldest especially has been selected many times to sing Carols and read in the church during Easter. It broadens the children's experience and knowledge of people around them and we always have interesting discussions during dinnertime. I think it's great that they get to participate and watch other religious practices which adds to their awareness and knowing the etiquette to use when communicating with people who come from different backgrounds to theirs. I used to be a teacher and the only trips where I didn't mind supervising teenagers were religious trips. That's because I always learn new things and the children magically behave themselves! They'll be fine sister, don't deprive them from those learning opportunities.

I think the main thing OP if you do let them go is to make sure you have a gentle debrief that evening or over the next days or weeks to find out what they learned and what they thought of the experience and find out any questions they have or anything that is bothering them about it. You can then explain what you think about that and why, in age appropriate ways, correcting any beliefs you don't believe in that you are not bringing them up to believe in.

So atheists in England should only be able to homeschool?

Thank you to everyone for their opinions. Just to clear up a couple of things- I did keep my initial post slightly vague as I wanted the broadest range of opinions possible. It's not the lack of religion that Im wondering about opting out, but rather the opposite- we practice a different religion.

The school itself isn't a faith school, it's an academy (so not required to have daily worship as a previous poster mentioned is at maintained schools?)

I think this church service isn't sitting right with me because it's not a planned 'trip'-
Something that's needed a consent form or anything- it's been stuck on the school calendar like a non-negotiable part of the curriculum. We have been given no more information that it's a 'Christmas church service' at the local church.

For all the posters that asked, no, we don't celebrate Christmas at all- not even in the 'cultural sense'. The general Christmas parties etc have a more cultural Christmas identity than a religious one and I'm ok with my DC partaking in those- and of this was a visit to a church that gave them an opportunity to learn more about a specific religion- similar to other visits to temples/mosques etc i'd be ok with that too. Im unsure how much they'd actually learn from a church service- considering they've never been to one- are they going to be able to ask questions? Be taught what to do, if anything?

I think the fact that I'm unsure of what to expect, there's been no information from school about it is really putting me off.

Which bit of the bible specifically deals with Santa? Is he in the old or new testament? And with Easter do you throw the chocolate eggs at zombie Jesus or eat them tonward off zombie Jesus? I've scoured the bible to find this out and nothing

You could always let them go and make up their own minds OP.

Nothing's better at putting children off organised religion than making them go to church!

I'd recommend all atheists send their children to faith schools

My children go to a catholic school.

I'd describe us agnostic atheists!

But they join in everything and I've been to some lovely nativity plays and Carole concerts. The songs are beautiful and my son acted his little heart out as lead in the nativity.

They can make up their own mind when they are old enough (oldest already told me he thinks the bible is a fable but they've been told they'll learn about Catholicism and what they believe is up to them).

I'm afraid I don't see the problem even if you are another religion. Are you worried it will make them question your religion?

And yes, they do teach them how to behave and what to do in church.

Unless the academy has applied for a specific exemption academies are still required to hold a daily act of collective worship. If the school doesn’t have a religious designation the collective worship must be “wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character”. Link.

Good question!