Religion in 'non religious' primary school

[beachdays27]

What's the deal with religion in primary schools?

We are choosing a primary school currently, and had been prioritising 'non religious' community schools (rather than c of e). We are not religious and I feel it would be confusing for a young child to be told about God as fact in school.

I understand there is a requirement for collective worship in all schools, but I've just seen that the school we are considering has the local priest into assemblies, talks about the bible, there are prayers, religious songs etc.

Is this typical in a community school?!

As a Church in Wales vicar I would echo what is said above about the way assemblies I take are different in church and county primaries.
Regarding the acting out of bible stories that is probably something called open the book. It is a set of bible stories that gets acted out and then there is some specific wording that introduces and ends the bible story. E.g. that story was about x saying sorry Is there someone you need to say sorry to. Let's sit quietly for a few seconds and think about it. At the end I will say a prayer if you want to make it your prayer say amen at the end. The words have all been agreed with 'non religious' bodies and the churches acting them out have to say exactly what it says in the script.

My child goes to a non religious school but they do prayers in assembly and hymns, I personally like that

If they are praying, how are they not teaching religion as fact?

Because they were taught "some people believe xyz" and the prayers were as simple as "thank you for our lunch/playtime/friends. Amen" with no pressure to join in.

@Tiggles thanks this is really helpful, and yes this was the exact wording used about saying amen, that's reassuring to know there is guidance about how these discussions take place.

@Ponderingwindow that's also my concern - by starting 'dear lord' surely the implication is that god definitely exists...

@beachdays27 ideally I want a non religious school for my child due to start reception next year. But I've kept an open mind and the two schools I've visited so far have been religious (one Catholic, one CofE). I've been pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and inclusive both were to those of all faiths and none, and I feel like at least I know where I stand with them. I'm interested now to see what the 'non-denominational' schools are like - growing up as a Catholic in a supposedly non-denominational school in Glasgow it was blatantly obvious to me that it was a 'protestant school' (Christmas/Easter services in local church of Scotland, their version of Lord's prayer etc etc). I feel like it might be similar in England that the assumption in the non-religious schools is that 'we're not religious but we're CofE non-religious'.

You are aware Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus etc don't have the same religious beliefs?

So how can you teach that "religion" a term that covers all of them is a fact?

BTW my DD has an older half-sibling who went to a different CofE primary school who knows SFA about Christianity.

That is still teaching religion as fact. That there is anything or anyone to pray to in the first place is an assertion of the validity of religions that use prayer.

im not arguing the school shouldn’t be doing what it is doing. Im well aware of the legal situation regarding religion and education. My argument is with your assertion that they aren’t teaching religion as fact when in fact they are.

Religion can be taught without any endorsement and no differently than learning about different forms of government or different cultures. That isn’t what is happening in this scenario though.

Religion can be taught without any endorsement and no differently than learning about different forms of government or different cultures. That isn’t what is happening in this scenario though.

@Ponderingwindow when I was taught about different forms of government I was given examples, many of which were real world ones.

And different cultures are fact, with religion and religious beliefs or the treatment of those who don't reject them forming part of that culture.

Every parent has the right to withdraw their child from collective worship and / or RE, even in a faith school. Young people have the right to decide for themselves to withdraw in sixth form.