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Primary education

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Original poster

Praying in C of E primaries?

91 replies

sherby · 20/02/2008 21:36

If anybody has a DC going to a CofE school can you tell me if they are expected to say prayers during the day?

Or how a CofE school actually differs day to day to a non religious school.

I ask because we are an atheist family but our catchment school and the one DD is most likely to get allocated is CofE.

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Rhubarb · 20/02/2008 21:37

Depends. At dd's CofE she has been taught the Our Father and they pray at assembly. They are also encouraged to take part in church services. But nativity plays seem to have been disallowed in favour of more "Christmassy" plays.

rantinghousewife · 20/02/2008 21:38

Yes both of mine (one was in a C of E) and the other still is. They pray during assembly but that's it, they're not expected to pray every day and they don't teach creationism (which was my biggest worry but, like you it is our catchment school).

Original poster
sherby · 20/02/2008 21:40

Is the school part of the church then or do they go to the church to take part?

I'm not bothered about nativity, its just regularly praying that I wouldn't be to keen on

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redadmiral · 20/02/2008 21:40

I think it varies a lot depending on the school.
I think they have an assembly most days at our CofE primary, and they sometimes troop over to the church for a service (about once a term) Other schools go to church weekly, even the CofE ones.

Our local church has been bought out by an Evangelical church, and they come over to assemblies and talk. The head also gives lots of religious talks in assembly. They also do a lot of RE in lessons.

marmadukescarlet · 20/02/2008 21:40

If you are genuinely athiest isn't it hipocritical going to a Cof E school?

There will be assembly and hym singing/praying most days, grace before lunch, church celebrations to mark Harvest, Christmas, Easter etc and regular visits from the local vicar - if our local ones are anything to go by.

lubyluby · 20/02/2008 21:41

depends on how strict the school is, becasue of catchments my ds1 has been to two c of e schools now and the first school they didn;t go to church and they didn;t say mornign prayer or say grace before lunch, but the new school does.
they go to church on a set day (different day for each year e.g year 6 go on a tuesday) they say prayers in assembly and sing hymns, say grace before lunch and pray at the end of the day.
although not a religious fmaily by choice i don;t mind this as i feel it is importnatn for my children to make up their own minds on religion and whilst ds1 is not religious and doesn;t intend to practice a religion, whereas ds2 feels that he does beleive in god.

is the c of e school the onyl school in teh area that you culd possibly attend? could you not have a slightly longer journey to attend a different school?

SlightlyMadSecretSoundWinner · 20/02/2008 21:42

I think that all schools must legally provide "a collective act of worship" every day - or something to that effect - irrespective of whether it is a faith school or not.

I think you are allowed to opt out if you make your wishes known to the school

Original poster
sherby · 20/02/2008 21:42

Marmaduke, I DONT want her to go to the CofE school, it is the local one that she will be allocated.

The nearest non dom school is way oversubscribed because it is a fab school.

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rantinghousewife · 20/02/2008 21:44

I agree it could be seen as hypocritcal but, we would have to go a long way to find a school that wasn't CofE here and I went to a CofE school and I'm still capable of independent thought. Think I can allow my dcs to make up their own minds and be independent thinkers.

redadmiral · 20/02/2008 21:45

Yes, we didn't get DD's into any local community schools - way oversubscribed. I think it will be hard for you, TBH.

Original poster
sherby · 20/02/2008 21:45

at luby, that sounds like so much, i'm not sure if I would be comfortable with that

Slightly, is that really true? Unless it is a faith school surely religion has reason to be participated in.

BTW I have no problem with DD learning about religion, it is just the taking part bit I don't like

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Original poster
sherby · 20/02/2008 21:47

I can't see how it is hypocritical if you have no choice but to send DC there.

And I don't want her to have to leave or opt out everytime they start praying etc. That shouldn't be on her shoulders.

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MegBusset · 20/02/2008 21:49

Slightly is correct on both her points. Even in a community school you would have to actively 'opt out' your DCs from the religious bits.

SlightlyMadSecretSoundWinner · 20/02/2008 21:51

details here

redadmiral · 20/02/2008 21:51

The only positive thing I can say is that it allows for a lot of discussion at home about religion, science, etc. I've always gone with the 'some people believe this' scenario, there are lots of different beliefs to discuss. At the moment DD2 is captivated by the idea of reincarnation, and is talking a lot about when she's a baby again...

Original poster
sherby · 20/02/2008 21:51

Meg, sorry I still dont understand. I know that they have to teach religion which I am all for. But all schools have some kind of participating, like actually talking to god type stuff

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Original poster
sherby · 20/02/2008 21:52

Thanks for link, reading now

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ravenAK · 20/02/2008 21:53

I'd feel exactly the same - I have a major chip on my shoulder after having my hand rulered in the 70s for refusing to join in hymn singing. (They should've been bloody grateful, I can't carry a tune in a bucket).

I think you can withdraw your child from acts of worship. If enough of us do it, maybe it'll help end this ridiculous situation with state supported faith schools.

lubyluby · 20/02/2008 21:55

there are a numbe rof muslims who attend the school and they still attend church and pray, which i didn;t think was allowed if you were a practising muslim (or any otehr religion for that matter)but as you say its a big responsibility to put on a child for them to ahev to remind their teacher each time they pray or attend church that they cannot attend.

if i practicesd a different religion i would def fight to get my child into an non denominational school. i think the 'problem' with this area is that this school is aparticularly good one in terms of league tables etc and so i think a lot of aprent sover look their faiths to have their child attend a good school when the alternative is a pretty crumby one.

you really need to find out how much input the church has (the school my ds' attend now is right enxt door to the school and is called after the church os its ..... st ...... school whereas the school they attended previosuly, the church was a good half an hour walk away and was just called ......... c of e school.

it just so happens we are movign again and the school that is less than five minutes walk form our new house is also a cofe school again with less input form the church as the church is not next door, but they still pray in assembly and say grace before lunch.

rantinghousewife · 20/02/2008 21:55

I think you will have to ask the school about their religious observances tbh, as reading here they vary a lot but, like I say it doesn't bother me and I don't care that people think I'm a hypocrite. I'm a great believer in children attending their local school. And it does lead to some interesting discussions but, you can always give them the tools to encourage independent thought too.

MegBusset · 20/02/2008 21:57

Yes, I think it depends on the school (which may interpret the rules in different ways) and how bothered you are as a parent. Personally I would never send my DCs to a CofE school but I understand that not everyone has that choice, unfortunately.

redadmiral · 20/02/2008 21:59

Yes, RH, sorry, that's what I meant too.

When asked what I believe in by DDs I usually say I believe in science

Original poster
sherby · 20/02/2008 21:59

Ok at now naive I was before reading that link. I really can't believe that all schools are obliged to provide a collective act of worship EACH DAY. That is truly unbelievable.

I know that we can explain to DD about independent thought, but we really do not believe in a personal god and I feel very uncomfortable that she is expected to worship one everyday.

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coastalmum · 20/02/2008 22:01

best idea is to ask to see the schools Worship and Ethos policy. The Headteacher and Governors decide how much religion influences the school day and curriculm.

My kids school has a strong Christian ethos, but the school doesn't go to church more than once a term and hold a Eucharist service in school termly too.

You can withdraw your child from acts of worship but that can be hard in some church schools (depending on their ethos) as it can cover most curriculm areas.

rantinghousewife · 20/02/2008 22:01

RA, I thought that was what you meant.
I'm all confused now.