RE in Year 1

[Enilec21]

Hi there, wondering if you can chill me out about this!

We’ve just been told our Y1 kiddos are “going to be learning about the symbolism of bread and wine in Christianity. For this, we'd like the children to share some white bread and blackcurrant squash”.

Is it horrendously horrible that I don’t like this?! I don’t know if 5yo’s should know this much about it and its made me uncomfortable. How much detail will the teacher go into? It seems unlikely the teacher can skirt around the fact bread and red wine represents the broken body and blood of Jesus Christ.

We don’t have older children so this is all new to us.

Is it a religious school? DS is at a Catholic school and they definitely learnt about things like the crucifixion in Reception.

Nope thankfully not a religious school. I don’t mind the kids learning about all religions as fairly as possible. I appreciate the country is considered a Christian nation and naturally lessons will be learned around Christmas and Easter. DH and I are atheist but we remind them that when they’re grown they can make their own mind up.

But I think this exercise is a bit grotesque.

They probably won't go into the details about what it represents at this age.
It's most likely just learning "this is a ritual that happens during a service in a Christian church".

You are over reacting, they will teach it in an age appropriate way and the kids enjoy the drink and snack.

Bread is frequently mentioned as a staple of life and a symbol of God’s provision.
Wine is also mentioned many times, symbolizing joy, celebration, and the blood of Christ in the New Testament.
not sure they will skirt around the issue but it means more than his broken body and blood. much more symbolic, and not necessarily gruesome.
Bread in Scripture: What does it Symbolize in the Bible? | Christian Pure

Is it horrendously horrible that I don’t like this?!

No, I wouldn't like it either. 5 yos are very unlikely to understand the symbolism. I wonder if the teacher really does?

@Enilec21 they will probably do other activities from other religions too.
I can remember making Diva Lamps at primary school (early 80s).
Schools do things like creating Henna patterns.
It will be age appropriate.

I don't understand why this is grotesque or a problem.
White bread and squash is just something to make it more fun for them.
All they're doing is learning about Christianity.
And yes like PP said they'll do other activities about other religions too

They won't go into all the gory details and a quick, "Christians believe the bread represents Jesus' body and the wine his blood," will not cause the children any lasting harm or outrage. They'll read a bit of text, watch a video of it being given at Mass, taste it for themselves and then fill a worksheet in. It will be fine. There are cartoons that demonstrate more gory images.

Even adults going through communion class at my church have said they find the idea a little offputting so as a Christian I say you’re right to be concerned. I’m not sure our local church school would even be allowed to do this!

It’s quite inappropriate for the age range imo. It would be hard for them to understand it theologically and contextually within the Christian narrative so the symbolism is meaningless and tokenistic.

They learn about all religions and their practices. DC also made diva lamps. Have talked about passover, Easter, Eid over the years at school. No idea why this is an issue.

Fellow atheist here. I remember being slightly alarmed when the local rector turned up at the playgroup I'd been happily taking my children to every Friday in the local church hall. There had never been any religion there before but it was March and the rector had come to tell the children all about the Easter story. I was reassured to discover that the version she recounted basically was all about the donkey. I don't think the hideous torture and death of Jesus got a mention. I'm guessing the teachers at your child's school will make sure whatever they say is similarly age appropriate.

what symbolism?
At my nutcase fundamentalist school we were taught that it was LITERALLY the body and blood of Jesus.
Symbolism - Pah.

Our local authority publishes an agreed guideline for which topics to cover in all year groups for RE, and how to approach them. It’s been drawn up by representative members of local faith groups. I think many areas do the same . Might be worth asking if your LA has a similar document.

If you think that’s grotesque, you are going to freak at Easter!

I'd just like to understand how it's grotesque in any way!

My kids’ school did this. DD v chuffed at getting Ribena in class. Lol. I wouldn’t overthink it.

I'm a Christian, I'm also a primary school teacher. As others have said there is more to the bread and wine than just symbolising Jesus' body and blood. Although this is the main symbol for most Christians teachers may highlight other significances too e.g bread symbolising life or provision or Jesus sharing bread and wine with his friends before he died.

Most schools will have a least a summary of their RE curriculum on their website and be willing to share more details with parents if asked. The national curriculum does require that schools teach about a variety of religions. Topics that seem gory or grotesque will come up across the curriculum, I taught the plaque in year 2 last year for example and references to battles, wars and death will pop up in history, RE, literacy etc I guess it's just about presenting things in an appropriate way and being prepared for questions.

They won't be learning the symbolism in Year 1, they will be learning some common practices of a variety of different religions. Remember, RE is not about learning to be a Christian (or a follower of any religion). It is about understanding the world around them and the differences and similarities of people with different backgrounds and beliefs.

Edited to say, I mean it will be symbolism of doing it and the meaning to Christians, not the symbolism of blood and body parts or anything that might be considered gory.

They will do it in an age appropriate way. Obviously.

Dh went to a cathedral school, they went into services most mornings. He remembers seeing an overseas student looking aghast during communion - the boy knew it wasn't literally flesh and blood but the rite seemed to him like enacting cannibalism.
And the symbolism has its roots in the idea of animal sacrifice. The Lamb of God. I think sometimes people who grow up with it may not understand how bizarre it may appear from the outside!

I'd be bothered about the implied participation of this. I'm all for my DC learning about religious beliefs and practices, but I don't agree with them learning by participating in religious activities under the guise of RE. That is partly because their school seems to get them to participate only in Christian things, apparently under the weird misapprehension that they're probably all Christian because the area isn't very diverse.

I know about the law on worship, but this seems to be outside that and RE should be separate from compulsory worship.

This isn't worship in any way, it's more like role play. A fun way to learn about different people's beliefs and practices.

@SausageinaBun it's just pretend though. They're not actually participating in a religious service. It's play acting.
If they learn about "people who help us" they will play at being nurses or firefighters.
At this age - that's all it is.

I don't think it is appropriate to role play religious activities. It doesn't seem respectful to those religions and I suspect that some people would object to their DC role playing bits of religions other to their own.