Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Hymns in assembly

32 replies

junkinmytrunk · 07/02/2008 09:49

dd1 is in reception and is settled in and loving school.
When she started back in september I asked for her not to go into assembly when there were hymns being sung and other religious activities due to our beliefs. Her teacher is more than okay with this and sits with dd1 in the classroom and some some one on one work with her. Teacher has told me how much she enjoys sitting with her once a week and doing this one on one work.

School now has a new headmaster and he kicked off this week about dd1 being taken out of assembly. He now wnts a meeting with me tomorrow about it.

It is not a religious school, RC or C of E, so how can he object to this.
I have offered to come and sit with dd1 myself if he feels its a problem for the teacher being out of assembly but he still insists on me meeting with him tomorrow.

I'm petrified and hope dh can get the time off work to come with me as I know when I get in there, I'll fall to pieces!

OP posts:

Original poster

junkinmytrunk · 07/02/2008 10:05

Does anybody else have any experience in this type of situation please?

OP posts:

tiredemma · 07/02/2008 10:07

Is it a school that recoginises all faiths - and so celebrates significant dates for all faiths? (my boys school is like this)

Do they sing 'real' hymns?

Admit its a bit odd in a non-denominational school

Original poster

junkinmytrunk · 07/02/2008 10:10

Yes, proper hymns.
They even started singing hymns in music lesson til dd1's teacher told the music teacher that it wouldn't be appropraite not just for dd1 but for othe pupils as well.

OP posts:

morningpaper · 07/02/2008 10:10

It's hard to comment until he know what his objection is! What exactly have you been told?

morningpaper · 07/02/2008 10:12

I think it's odd to object to religious songs during MUSIC lessons though! will you rule out learning Mozart's Requiem or Handel's Messiah?!

madamez · 07/02/2008 10:12

If it's not a faith school then he's the one with the problem. Why should your DD have to sit through a lot of superstitious propaganda when she doesn't want to? If it is a matter of not wanting the teacher to be out of the room for the assembly then you offering to sit with her should be enough. FWIW are there any other parents who are not Christians and who would prefer their children not to have to join in Christian activity in school time? You can kick this man's arse if there are a few of you.

Original poster

junkinmytrunk · 07/02/2008 10:13

All I've been told is that he really kicked off at dd1's teacher and wants to know why he wasn't informed and doesn't see why we should want dd1 removed from religious activities like hymn singing

OP posts:

muppetgirl · 07/02/2008 10:13

I was always told when I taught that it is a parents right to withdraw their child from any religious instruction in cluding assemblies. I was also told that it is not up to the school to provide alternative work during these withdraws iyswim. I had a child that if one of the children even mentioned witches in the classroom would put her hands over her ears and scream that she wasn't meant to be hearing that sort of thing

I can see the Heads' point of view on the teacher being out of assembly but you have offered to sit with your child so he really shouldn't have a problem.

morningpaper · 07/02/2008 10:13

How do you know that?

Original poster

junkinmytrunk · 07/02/2008 10:15

There are muslim children in dd1's class but their parents aren't bothered about it.

OP posts:

cornsilk · 07/02/2008 10:16

Yes it is a parent's right to withdraw their child from religious instruction. Happens where I work.

morningpaper · 07/02/2008 10:17

Why don't you ring the LEA today for guidance? Then you will be armed with all the information you need. I would take a written letter in with you stating that you wish to withdraw your child from assembly and religious activities, so that they have something on file for the future.

madamez · 07/02/2008 10:18

It does sound as though the new head is a first class fish-head ie someone who is a CHRISTIAN and thinks that anyone who is not a Christian is just being difficult and should shut up and conform. WHich strikes me as making him someone who is abusing his position and not fit for it.
FFS when I was at school in the 70s there were always one or two kids who didn;t come into assembly till after the superstitious bits were over and done with (I mean, their parents had asked for them to stay out of assembly, unlike me and my friend who used to simply hide in the cloakroom till it was over).

muppetgirl · 07/02/2008 10:19

Mp -is that to me? I taught in a c of e and Catholic schools. The screaming girl was in the C of E school. The Head told me both schools.

Original poster

junkinmytrunk · 07/02/2008 10:19

I feel better knowing that I am within my rights as a prent to withdraw her from assembly.

Putting it in writing is a good idea, I'll get onto to that now as well as ringing the lea

OP posts:

morningpaper · 07/02/2008 10:19

Who told you he kicked-off?

ecoworrier · 07/02/2008 10:19

It's your right to have your child removed and teachers have to accommodate this.

At our school Jehovah's Witnesses don't go to assemblies (ours is non-denominational school but children often sing hymns), and the Brethren children used to be kept out too until they opened their own school!

It's no hassle for the school at all really - usually the children stay in their class with their teacher or TA and do reading or other activities. The teachers don't all go to the assembly anyway except on Fridays which is Celebration Assembly, so there are usually plenty of adults around to supervise children. Sometimes the teachers get on with marking/putting up displays while the children do quiet reading in the same room. So the child is being supervised but the teacher is not necessarily providing any extra work - no problem! Occasionally if their own teacher or TA is unable to supervise them, the children will all sit together in one classroom with an adult.

morningpaper · 07/02/2008 10:20

no sorry muppetgirl I cross posted. I wondered how the OP knows he kicked off etc.

muppetgirl · 07/02/2008 10:24

Mp - The op was talking about Hymns being sung in assembly not music lessons. Hymns in assembly are, generally, sung in praise of God (yes there are some that talk about animals and seasons but these will be mixed in and she can't have her child taken in and out of assembly) When music is listened to in a Music lesson the focus is more of a musical nature, listening to the different voices, orchestra or experiencing music from different cultures for example, NOT prasing God whichever God you believe in.

muppetgirl · 07/02/2008 10:24

Ok mp!

morningpaper · 07/02/2008 10:25

lol sorry the hymns in music lessons were mentioned in junkinmytrunk's post of 10:10

Original poster

junkinmytrunk · 07/02/2008 10:25

Sorry, dd1's teacher told me he kicked off at her.
She is very supportive of us and is baffled by the head's attitude. She said he kicked off at her and so I need to go see him and follow his protocal.

OP posts:

morningpaper · 07/02/2008 10:27

Errrr his teacher doesn't sound very professional TBH if she is talking like that and scaring the shit out of you.

So the TEACHER has told you to meet with the headmaster tomorrow? Why don't you just ring the head now and chat to him about it? It all sounds a bit childish TBH.

procrastinatingparent · 07/02/2008 10:29

Um. Before abusing the man as a fish-head, why not wait and see what he himself has to say, rather than going on hearsay? By all means advise junkinmytrunk on what her rights as a parent are (I am all in favour of parents being able to withdraw their children from things they don't agree with, so do check it all out junkinmytrunk) but don't assume you know what this is about or what the man actually said until junkinthetrunk has it first hand.

Original poster

junkinmytrunk · 07/02/2008 10:29

well I went straight down to the head this morning and he insisted that I come back tomorrow afternoon, as he had no time today.

I know that dd1's teacher probably shouldn't have said what she did but she is such a good teacher and I think she was just shocked by the head's attitude. I think they'll still getting used to him themselves.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread