removing your child from religious assemblies

[RachA]

It's not a church school or controlled or anything.

The way I found out was through the feedback notes on the recent newsletter for last academic year. Here's the comment, and what the head says in response:

"We would prefer for children not to pray before lunch every day." [I note and respect your view. I guess that once again we'd get a broad span of opinion on this, were there ever to be a ballot by mums and dads. Not that anyone's ever raised it before. A short
prayer before lunch is still said in most primary schools in Britain, as it has been for over a hundred years. ****** wouldn't 'go down the pan' if we stopped doing it, but I think that it encourages children to reflect on their good fortune in having a proper, nutritious meal each day. On balance I wouldn't want to scrap it unless there was compelling evidence that a majority of our parents were fiercely opposed to it.]"

I don't think my LO does at the moment, because he's in reception and starts lunch 10 mins earlier than even the other infants. I will ask him about it after half term though, as he'll start with the other infants then.

I wasn't awear this was the case at all.

 

[indy and lara]

It's not a church school or controlled or anything.

The way I found out was through the feedback notes on the recent newsletter for last academic year. Here's the comment, and what the head says in response:

"We would prefer for children not to pray before lunch every day." [I note and respect your view. I guess that once again we'd get a broad span of opinion on this, were there ever to be a ballot by mums and dads. Not that anyone's ever raised it before. A short
prayer before lunch is still said in most primary schools in Britain, as it has been for over a hundred years. ****** wouldn't 'go down the pan' if we stopped doing it, but I think that it encourages children to reflect on their good fortune in having a proper, nutritious meal each day. On balance I wouldn't want to scrap it unless there was compelling evidence that a majority of our parents were fiercely opposed to it.]"

I don't think my LO does at the moment, because he's in reception and starts lunch 10 mins earlier than even the other infants. I will ask him about it after half term though, as he'll start with the other infants then.

I wasn't awear this was the case at all.

Nope Certainly isn't up here.

 

[morri]

Do you have the possibility of taking them out of religious classes? because here you can do that.

 

[pinklightbulb]

I'd be removing mine. Here, government schools aren't allowed to impress on or endorse any religion at all unless it's specifically to learn about them in a class. I will send mine to a government school for this reason.

 

[isil]

Do you think I should approach the head? I don't want to be one of those parents but I really don't want my son saying a prayer before lunch every day!

 

[hel_5]

I would if I were you, if you wanted your LO to go to a religious school you would have sent them to one and I've never heard of saying a prayer before lunch, that to me sounds like a church school.

Just a thought one thing you could do, poss when a little older, is take LO to see different religions place of worship, for my GCSE in food tech I based mine around another culture (Sikh) and honestly they could not have been more welcoming and friendly to show me around and tell me about everything xx

 

[isil]

That's great hel_5! I will definitely do that. Where we live is really multicultural (although our immediate area isn't!) so I do want my son to have a real understanding of lots of different religions.

I ran into the class teacher (poor thing!) today and asked her about it. Apparently they say 'for what we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful, amen'. They've omitted the 'lord' bit which makes me feel a little better.

 

[RachA]

I think it's a nice thing for the children to be grateful for their food. Obviously as a Christian I encourage my children to thank God but even if you aren't a Christian you can still give thanks to whoever you want-even if that's thanking the workers who picked the fruit etc.

 

[isil]

yeah, it's definitely good to be grateful

 

[JASMAK]

If you are strongly against it, I would ask him not to, but.....does he want to? This is really a personal decision.

 

[isil]

He doesn't understand Jasmak. I think at this age it really is what you're born into. It's like little kids being born into a religion, he has been born into an atheist household.

This is why I want him exposed to religion, but not necessarily practising ONE more than any others.

 

[pinklightbulb]

I'd approach the head, if this were in my country given the laws and stuff, but would it do any good where you are?

 

[mrsholmes]

We thought about this as atheists, however I didn't want Scott to be different and the odd one out, also where do you draw the line ? If I decided no prays does that mean no Christmas or Easter activities or card making etc ? The school does songs with god/ Jesus/ nohah in and I think it would upset Scott not to be part of it. We are already bringing him
Up an athiest for example when he asked where was heaven we told him we believed it was a made up place in books but some people believe its real. I think he sees the Jesus story's etc in school as pretend like reading the monkey with a bright blue bottom!!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

My children's school states they have "Christian values" This means they sing hyms like "all things bright and beautiful" etc sometimes but they do not do prayers. They do nativity at christmas etc but I like that

I wouldnt be happy about a prayer before lunch though :S

My children have started to ask if I believe in God. I am not going to lie and said I dont really but they need to decide for themselves what they believe and I would respect that. They do have a bit of a connection to Christianity with schools and girls brigade and the support groups I go to are in the church but I wouldnt like them praying before lunch etc.

 

[sam2eb]

My son goes to a nursery in a catholic school and we are not catholic. Its a special school and was the only one that we could get him a place in.

He is only in nursery so isnt involved in assembly or anything yet. They dont start them till p1. Im really in two minds about letting him attend them or not. As far as I know, in catholic schools they sort of prepare them in assembly for taking their sacraments and communion and things. Thats the bit I'm not comfortable with. If it was just hymns etc I would be fine with it. So I will likely speak to them and ask if he can attend but not partake in all aspects of it.

Its tough coz I dont want him to be thinking he is different to the rest of the kids there but the truth is, he is!

 

[isil]

Just a slight update to this:
Went to the harvest festival (the class sang a song) and was a bit shocked by the prayers and stuff. Anyway, boy was singing a different song on his way home, first time around he sang 'thanks to god' second time around he sang 'thanks to superheroes' We've talked about it, and said what I believe. I guess I'll just take it as it comes. I don't want to remove him really.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

^ my school was the same but my parents were non religious and I soon realised we didnt go to church etc but yet I still did religious songs etc at school. I ended up growing up atheist so school couldn't have influenced me that much. xx

 

[Amy_T]

We're not an Carly religious house, we did get married in church (our oldest was there) and the girls are christened but we don't regularly attend church. My daughters school sounds similar to yours, they have a local vicar go in for certain festivals and they even hold their harvest festival in the local church,... I've been to a few to see what happens and although they sing hymns, say the odd prayer etc the main focus is on the values of Christianity which, although I may not necessarily believe in God, I do think a lot of the values are good. It's never done in a preachy way.

My daughters school do teach other religions, tell them about what others believe etc, she has taught me quite a lot about things to be honest! X