Secular Primary Schools in the UK

[Brown, Jon Brow]

What type of primary school did you go to?

If, like me you grew up in rural England, chances are that you went to a Church of England Primary School. Not because you had anglican parents but because it was the only school in your village. I went to two C of E schools and I remember morning prayers, bible stories and hymns in assembly and one morning per week studying the bible.

Is it correct to force religion upon gullible children minds from a young age? Personally I think my childhood would have been better spent doing English, Maths and Science rather than praying.

Why didn't I have the choice to go to a Secular Primary School?

[Drew]

Ummm a normal one?

I grew up in rural Devon and I don't really remember hearing about any of the schools being specific religious ones, not round my way anyway. :confused:

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Apparently 25% of primary schools are C of E.

http://www.churchofengland.org/education/church-schools-academies.aspx

[BDunnell]

It was certainly the case when I was at school that all state schools were obliged to hold a 'daily act of collective Christian worship', and while it could be said that Christianity was the 'dominant' religion at the (fairly rural) schools I attended none was an actual C of E school, which is something a bit different.

I too am much in favour of all schools being entirely secular.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

It was certainly the case when I was at school that all state schools were obliged to hold a 'daily act of collective Christian worship', and while it could be said that Christianity was the 'dominant' religion at the (fairly rural) schools I attended none was an actual C of E school, which is something a bit different.

I too am much in favour of all schools being entirely secular.

Growing up in Shap, Cumbria (it doesn't really get anymore isolated in England) I had the choice of a C of E school or home education.

[GridGirl]

The primary school I went to wasn't specifically linked to a faith but we did sing hymms and pray. I went to a Church of England high school as it the best local school to where I lived. It wasn't the closest but it was better. My mum lied on my application form and said I was a C of E christian when I was in fact christened as a methodist. I suppose its besides the point that my father is a muslim. We had about four hours religious education classes each week but it wasn't limited to learning about the christian faith. It was compulsory to take Religious Education as a G.C.S.E but again that was multi faith based.

I am not a religious person these days but I dont think a religious education did me any harm. I'd rather have some knowledge about all faiths than be ignorant of many. :)

[Mark]

I went to a 'normal' primary school, no religious connections at all. But we still sang hymns every single day and Christianity was presented to us as fact. We didn't think anything of it as it was always that way.

[SGWilko]

I went to a 'normal' primary school, no religious connections at all. But we still sang hymns every single day and Christianity was presented to us as fact. We didn't think anything of it as it was always that way.

+1 for me here - was at Primary school between '76 and '83. Wasn't C of E, but we sang hymns in assembly etc - never did me any harm.

Why is Christmas such a big thing on the high street, given how multi cultural the UK is? Wouldn't be for commercial purposes would it????

[Mark]

Why is Christmas such a big thing on the high street, given how multi cultural the UK is? Wouldn't be for commercial purposes would it????

Certainly not :s hock:

[Dave B]

I was sent a C of E school and as an impressionable young kiddy it practically made me racist for a while. Christianity was drummed into us and if you didn't believe in God you were WRONG, plain and simple. It was explained to us that some people had other faiths, but they were false gods and in no uncertain terms WRONG. Knowing a couple of "brown" kids - no effort was made to explain their origin to me - I mocked their faith and had no reason to suspect that my behaviour was anything other than normal.

It was only when I went to a bigger school with, thankfully, a more enlightened view that I came to realise how abhorrent my former views were.

I believe that schools should teach all their pupils about all religions and secularism but leave them completely free to make their own minds up.

[BDunnell]

I was sent a C of E school and as an impressionable young kiddy it practically made me racist for a while. Christianity was drummed into us and if you didn't believe in God you were WRONG, plain and simple. It was explained to us that some people had other faiths, but they were false gods and in no uncertain terms WRONG. Knowing a couple of "brown" kids - no effort was made to explain their origin to me - I mocked their faith and had no reason to suspect that my behaviour was anything other than normal.

It was only when I went to a bigger school with, thankfully, a more enlightened view that I came to realise how abhorrent my former views were.

How sad that there are those older than school age whose views have not developed any further.

[Drew]

I remember we had to sing songs, we had to learn some religious songs for assemblies and of course we had to learn about christianity. I remember getting into trouble because it seemed like rubbish to me at the time.

TBH I don't think religion should be taught in schools or at the very least people should have the option to choose to study it or not.

[Malbec]

+1 for me here - was at Primary school between '76 and '83. Wasn't C of E, but we sang hymns in assembly etc - never did me any harm.

Same here, was in a 'secular' school between 80 and 87. Prayers and hymns in assembly distinctly of a C of E flavour but then again I remember a big thing made of harvest festivals and thats pagan isn't it?

Speaking of prejudice one day a new Pakistani kid turned up. The teacher got him to introduce himself at the front of the class before interrupting him and asking us "he speaks funny doesn't he, where do you think he's from?". Even at that tender age I thought that was a bit out of order, but the teacher carried on "he's from BURR-MEEN-GAM, anyone know where that is? Thats right, its up north where Coronation street is from, they speak funny up there like him".

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I was sent a C of E school and as an impressionable young kiddy it practically made me racist for a while. Christianity was drummed into us and if you didn't believe in God you were WRONG, plain and simple. It was explained to us that some people had other faiths, but they were false gods and in no uncertain terms WRONG. Knowing a couple of "brown" kids - no effort was made to explain their origin to me - I mocked their faith and had no reason to suspect that my behaviour was anything other than normal.

It was only when I went to a bigger school with, thankfully, a more enlightened view that I came to realise how abhorrent my former views were.

I believe that schools should teach all their pupils about all religions and secularism but leave them completely free to make their own minds up.

I remember a kid in assembly asked 'where did god come from?' and he was told to stop asking 'stupid' question' or go and stand outside.

[BDunnell]

I remember a kid in assembly asked 'where did god come from?' and he was told to stop asking 'stupid' question' or go and stand outside.

Oh, a group of friends and I were once 'advised to leave' RE lessons in our final year of high school for asking what were considered unduly difficult questions of a series of Christian youth groups who came in to talk to us.

The lack of room for atheism in the RE curriculum was astonishing.

[Dave B]

RE in our seniur school was a joke, you could pretty much have any opinion and weren't required whatsoever to back it up. A group of fellow pupils decided to deliberately try to get the lowest possible mark on their end of year exam and even the stupidest most ill-thought out answers still netted my mate about 27% if I recall correctly. It was the polar opposite of my earlier experience!

[airshifter]

I believe that schools should teach all their pupils about all religions and secularism but leave them completely free to make their own minds up.

I agree, but it will never happen. For those that run the various systems there is often too much power in religion and the ability of religion to sway many in terms of government views and parties.

[BDunnell]

I agree, but it will never happen. For those that run the various systems there is often too much power in religion and the ability of religion to sway many in terms of government views and parties.

The strange thing is that I don't think this is actually true of the UK, for one, since religion plays but a tiny role in politics, but despite that I think we will wait in vain for a Prime Minister to declare themselves an atheist.

[SGWilko]

The strange thing is that I don't think this is actually true of the UK, for one, since religion plays but a tiny role in politics, but despite that I think we will wait in vain for a Prime Minister to declare themselves an atheist.

I am sure even the most hardened athiest sits down, holds their head in their hands and sighs 'oh God' when the excrament hits the electric cooling device..... ;)

[F1boat]

Well, our school was secular and as I believer from young age I was not happy when religion was slammed sometimes by a teacher, in favor of atheist view of the world. So I guess that we can simply never be happy with what we have. IMO religion should be optional for studying.

[Knock-on]

St Marys CofE School was my grounding in Primary education. I only remember one Teacher who was called Mr McGovern. He used to pick me up by my hair, make me stand outside in the Winter with no shoes on and generally bully me. I also remember he was always nice to the pretty girls in the class and gave them sweets which he never offered the boys. At the time we were jealous but looking through the eyes of an adult, he was exhibiting prime predatory behaviour. All of this was known to the other Teachers but allowed to continue.

I don't know if things would have been different in a secular school but my experience has given me a rather negative opinion of religious schools. There is too much opportunity for abuse.

[BDunnell]

St Marys CofE School was my grounding in Primary education. I only remember one Teacher who was called Mr McGovern. He used to pick me up by my hair, make me stand outside in the Winter with no shoes on and generally bully me. I also remember he was always nice to the pretty girls in the class and gave them sweets which he never offered the boys. At the time we were jealous but looking through the eyes of an adult, he was exhibiting prime predatory behaviour. All of this was known to the other Teachers but allowed to continue.

I don't know if things would have been different in a secular school but my experience has given me a rather negative opinion of religious schools. There is too much opportunity for abuse.

Well, there are plenty of very friendly religious people out there. Take a look at the priest interviewed here — not scary or forbidding at all.

East Anglian Film Archive (http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/215407)