advice needed on R.E studies in school

Hi,

You do have a legal right to withdraw your child from either part of, or all of Religious Education at school, DfE link here: www.gov.uk/.../other-compulsory-subjects

The school does not have to obtain parental consent to take your child to a school trip where there is minimal risk (DfE guidance states "Written consent is usually only requested for activities that need a higher level of risk management or those that take place outside school hours."

The school should provide alternative educational provision on site, rather than sending your child home if you withdraw him from the school trip. If his whole class is on a trip, then he may need to spend the day in another class, or with 1-1 tuition (whatever the school feels is appropriate). Sending him home is an inappropriate response from the school as your son is entitled to the same number of hours of education per week as his peers (so he should be offered an approved alternative educational activity - being at home with his mother isn't an approved educational activity). 

However, having said all this (assuming your objections are on moral grounds, not your son's mental/emotional health grounds): 

You son SHOULD be exposed to religious discussion and experiences - otherwise you are making the same mistakes as religious people (closing down debate before it's even possible). RE lessons in school aren't ALLOWED to preach to a certain religion and is part of the National curriculum in order to prepare pupils to live in a multi-faith world (part of the RE lessons in your child's school will talk about atheism). I have pasted a letter from North Yorkshire Council which provides a templates for schools to respond to parents who have requested their pupils don't attend a school visit to a Mosque:

Sample letter in response to a parent withdrawing their child from a visit to a place of worship

"Dear

I am sorry to hear that you have requested to withdraw your son/daughter from our visit to…

The visit is an exciting opportunity for our pupils to learn about different faiths and ensure that they are aware of the diverse nature of modern Britain.

Religious Education forms part of the basic curriculum in schools and its teaching is enshrined in law. The school follows the North Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and part of the curriculum encourages children to study Christianity in great detail, as well as finding out about Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam through school trips, visits from outside speakers and class teaching.

The school recognises that parents have the right to withdraw their child from RE in whole or in part, and provide alternative work.

However, the school is aware that children growing up in North Yorkshire may have little contact with people from other faiths and cultures, such as Muslims and it is aware that it has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to promote good relations between people of different beliefs and ethnicities as part of its single equality duty.

The Governing Body fully supports this trip and the teaching of RE, including Islam.

It is the governors' expectation  that the visit to the mosque will provide an insight for pupils into the nature of British Islam, help them understand how Islam is presented in the media and that groups like ISIS are not a true reflection of the Islam followed by the vast majority of Muslims in Britain.

As a school we have a responsibility to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education and are judged on the effectiveness of our planned provision by Ofsted. The visit to … significantly contributes to this area of a pupil’s development which is part of preparing all pupils for a life in modern Britain.

In a letter to schools from North Yorkshire Local Authority in January 2015,   ‘Learning Beyond the Classroom – Travel advice’, it states that:

‘It is important as educators that we continue to give children and young people the opportunity to learn about different religions, faiths and cultures and engender respect and tolerance within our communities and to all go about our daily lives without fear or hindrance.’

A full risk assessment has been conducted for the visit and there is no more risk attached to this visit than any other school visit.

The place of worship we are visiting runs regular school visits. Their website details are…if you would like to find out more.                                      

Many schools in North Yorkshire run successful visits to a range of places of worship within North Yorkshire and beyond. I am happy to share some case studies with you if you would like to know more about the nature and impact of such visits.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your decision to withdraw your child from the visit.

Yours sincerely,"

I personally would always encourage my child to explore and develop their  critical thinking faculties through a range of medium  - reilgion plays a massive role in society today, and in order for me to hold valid views on the topic, I feel it is my duty to be fully informed. And I hope everyone else in society knows the full range of information before making up their minds. 

Hi,

You do have a legal right to withdraw your child from either part of, or all of Religious Education at school, DfE link here: www.gov.uk/.../other-compulsory-subjects

The school does not have to obtain parental consent to take your child to a school trip where there is minimal risk (DfE guidance states "Written consent is usually only requested for activities that need a higher level of risk management or those that take place outside school hours."

The school should provide alternative educational provision on site, rather than sending your child home if you withdraw him from the school trip. If his whole class is on a trip, then he may need to spend the day in another class, or with 1-1 tuition (whatever the school feels is appropriate). Sending him home is an inappropriate response from the school as your son is entitled to the same number of hours of education per week as his peers (so he should be offered an approved alternative educational activity - being at home with his mother isn't an approved educational activity). 

However, having said all this (assuming your objections are on moral grounds, not your son's mental/emotional health grounds): 

You son SHOULD be exposed to religious discussion and experiences - otherwise you are making the same mistakes as religious people (closing down debate before it's even possible). RE lessons in school aren't ALLOWED to preach to a certain religion and is part of the National curriculum in order to prepare pupils to live in a multi-faith world (part of the RE lessons in your child's school will talk about atheism). I have pasted a letter from North Yorkshire Council which provides a templates for schools to respond to parents who have requested their pupils don't attend a school visit to a Mosque:

Sample letter in response to a parent withdrawing their child from a visit to a place of worship

"Dear

I am sorry to hear that you have requested to withdraw your son/daughter from our visit to…

The visit is an exciting opportunity for our pupils to learn about different faiths and ensure that they are aware of the diverse nature of modern Britain.

Religious Education forms part of the basic curriculum in schools and its teaching is enshrined in law. The school follows the North Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and part of the curriculum encourages children to study Christianity in great detail, as well as finding out about Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam through school trips, visits from outside speakers and class teaching.

The school recognises that parents have the right to withdraw their child from RE in whole or in part, and provide alternative work.

However, the school is aware that children growing up in North Yorkshire may have little contact with people from other faiths and cultures, such as Muslims and it is aware that it has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to promote good relations between people of different beliefs and ethnicities as part of its single equality duty.

The Governing Body fully supports this trip and the teaching of RE, including Islam.

It is the governors' expectation  that the visit to the mosque will provide an insight for pupils into the nature of British Islam, help them understand how Islam is presented in the media and that groups like ISIS are not a true reflection of the Islam followed by the vast majority of Muslims in Britain.

As a school we have a responsibility to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education and are judged on the effectiveness of our planned provision by Ofsted. The visit to … significantly contributes to this area of a pupil’s development which is part of preparing all pupils for a life in modern Britain.

In a letter to schools from North Yorkshire Local Authority in January 2015,   ‘Learning Beyond the Classroom – Travel advice’, it states that:

‘It is important as educators that we continue to give children and young people the opportunity to learn about different religions, faiths and cultures and engender respect and tolerance within our communities and to all go about our daily lives without fear or hindrance.’

A full risk assessment has been conducted for the visit and there is no more risk attached to this visit than any other school visit.

The place of worship we are visiting runs regular school visits. Their website details are…if you would like to find out more.                                      

Many schools in North Yorkshire run successful visits to a range of places of worship within North Yorkshire and beyond. I am happy to share some case studies with you if you would like to know more about the nature and impact of such visits.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your decision to withdraw your child from the visit.

Yours sincerely,"

I personally would always encourage my child to explore and develop their  critical thinking faculties through a range of medium  - reilgion plays a massive role in society today, and in order for me to hold valid views on the topic, I feel it is my duty to be fully informed. And I hope everyone else in society knows the full range of information before making up their minds.