thehorseandhisboy Sat 14-Dec-19 12:12:32

I don't want to start a discussion about religion, but I just want to gauge whether my gut feelings are shared by others.



My children have all attended the same primary school, youngest now in Y6, so I know we haven't got long left and not trying to crate problems.



The school is a very typical, multi-cultural, multi-faith, multi-ethnic non-denominational school in London. Children from lots of different backgrounds, about 1/3 of the school Muslim. Fab - love this about the school.



Previously, the school has recognised and celebrated Eid, Divali, Chinese New Year, Hannuka and civic events like Black History Month etc. Christmas and Easter have been acknowledged in quite low key ways eg end of year performance singing mainly secular Christmas songs, a few carols, chocolate nests at Easter. Fab - no problem.



A new head started earlier this year who is a practicing Christian. My children have had Christian, Muslim, Hindu and aetheist teachers who have been open about their faith/beliefs and interested in and tolerant of others. Fab - living alongside people of faith and being able to ask questions/reflect a huge privilege imvho.



Since the new head started, there has been no acknowledgement of important days for faiths other than Christians, and important events in the civic calendar like Black History month have been ignored. A priest from the local denominational church now leads a Christian assembly once a week. There is much talk about God and Jesus as facts. Representatives from the local church have been invited to events like the Winter Fair (renamed the Christmas fair, of course) to ask for 'contributions'.



The end of term has been something else. Five separate nativities and a Christingle Service (in school) as end of year events. The newsletter has been full of 'Christmas is coming' since November although Divali hadn't even had a mention.



I could go on, but you get the drift...



Some parents spoke and then wrote to the head to express their discomfort with the dominance that Christianity is now taking in the school, and the head's response was to cite the Education Act and suggest that they remove their child from these events.



For a school that has always taken a stance of including all children, this doesn't sit well with me. If you don't want your child to be involved in a nativity or Christingle, they might as well not be at school for the last two weeks of the autumn term, as there have been endless rehearsals etc. Some children are removed from these events, so excluded from end of year shows and events that they used to take part in.



My stance isn't anti-Christian at all; I would feel the same about any faith being imposed so suddenly and extensively and also if an atheist head started and failed to acknowledge faith at all and focused on the solstice etc.



Is this within 'normal range' for a non-denominational school in a very mixed community?



Views please. TIA.