ChrisAR Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Hi Apologies if this has been asked before - Is it a legal requirement for children to attend a daily worship? If so - for how long? at what age? Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 it certainly used to be the rule that children have a 'corporate act of daily worship' but I'm not sure if this still is the case. Certainly our local Primary doesn't have assembly every day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAR Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Hi Interesting. After a little Googling it seems that attending an act of daily worship was started as requirement of the 1944 Education Act. It was also enforced in the School Standards and Framework Act of 1988. Not sure if this act is still relevant in 2009 - cant find anything in the EYFS about it. Basically I'm organising a new daily routine and I just need to now if I have to include a 'collective worship time'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I'm sure someone will be along in a minute with their thoughts. Interesting, as you say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Yes I believe the latest education act says the same thing. However since it isn't mentioned in the EYFS, Id argue that you don't have to, unless anyone else has the definitive on this, I think its one of those grey areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAR Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Well, Ive found a couple of docs on the web that state all children on the school roll, including Nursery, must take part in a daily collective worship. That would mean doing it twice a day - god knows how it would work when the flexible offer comes in! It all sounds a right pain. We've got OFSTED in the Autumn Term, I would hate to be pulled up on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 My understanding is that all children of statutory school age have to take part in a daily act of collective worship which is broadly Christian in character. These 'assemblies' can be whole school, year groups, or even just an individual class. Parents can ask for their children not to take part in these if they wish. Schools where the majority of children are not Christian but Muslim, for example, can ask for a special dispensation so that they can meet their children's needs. How individual schools interpret this can be interesting, and I suspect that it will not be long before the 'act of worship' requirement will disappear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAR Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Thanks Jacquie. The key words there are 'statutory school age'. So, that excludes any 3 and 4 year olds. Although I cant see us taking the 5 year olds to one side for a quick story and a prayer! Probably the most sensible thing would be a 5 min quiet/reflection time with just the Reception age children once the Nursery have gone home. They go home at 11.15 and Reception have dinner at 11.45...so 11.40 sounds like a good a time as any! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 In our recent inspection the head was asked how she monitored the daily worship within each class on the days she did not do whole school assembly. When she said she didn't the inspector asked for evidence that it was taking place and the content. The inspector also did an observation of an assembly. We are a county primary school not a church school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest heleng Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I asked my head about this as well as they went from attending the odd assembly in nursery (about once a month) to 5 mornings a week when they came into Reception!! I said it was too much and could we change it and I was told that it is a statutory requirement for all school aged children to take part in a daily act of collective workship. As I have three term intake with children coming into Reception the term they are five this meant ALL my class had to attend. However with negotiation we now only go in 3 mornings a week to the whole school assembly and I have to be seen to be planning in a short class collective worship session within the classroom. Good luck sorting out your timetable, I have been in Reception 18 months now and I change my timetable at least once a month!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Very interesting again, as a small Chruch school the children were attending Assembly everyday, we now do about 3 times and once a week I do a quiet reflective time in the classroom. the general feeling I was getting was that Early years advisors were saying no and the chruch were saying yes so very confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I am also trying to change the daily routine in Reception. We are a 3 form entry infant school, and although we only have 3 full school assemblies a week, I feel that the time it takes to get everyone in and out of the hall - never mind the actual assembly - we waste one and a half hours a week! I have said that instead of going to full school assemblies we will have a 5 minute quiet reflection time in the classroom. The head agrees with me in principle, but is concerned that she will not be able to monitor assemblies and has asked me for 'proof' that this idea is acceptable. I can't find any, but am sure that the time wasting is unacceptable! I am also trying to change the pattern of the day to 'abolish' playtimes, divide the day into 2 equal sessions, introduce free-flow indoor/outdoor and change lunchtime organisation....but that is another story! Anybody have anymore useful thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I hate assemblys, I don't mind class assemblys, but whole school assemblys go on for ever, with 1 child from each year getting a certificate, the nursery children role about and then get told off but they are bored! We had a 40 min assembly the other day, it makes me laugh the content was totally non early years friendly, and if I had them sat on the carpet for a lesson for that long, jus talking at them, im sure it would be unsatisfactory. So why don't we apply the same logic to whole school assemblys. I'd much prefer phase assemblys at least that way what the assembly is on can be targeted at a sepcfic age! oh well thats my little rant sorry i could answer your questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Yes I believe the latest education act says the same thing. However since it isn't mentioned in the EYFS, Id argue that you don't have to, unless anyone else has the definitive on this, I think its one of those grey areas. It would be covered in the bit that says and in schools you have to have regard to every other bit of legislation that applies to you!! It's not all just in the EYFS. Re statutory school age though in another post - it would now be the Sept after a child's 5th birthday so they could be 5 and not statutory age - correct????? I'm sure it is. Cxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 hi ive just this debate and was given this link. it is statutory for school age children but does say daily this does not have to be an asssembly in a hall it is a 'special reflective time' can bw with small group etc. so although i was not ahppy at first to read its statutory it can actaually be done in a very early years way. hope this helps Circular_201_2094_20pt1Collective_worship.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 The point for clarification is whether or not a reception child of any age (4 or 5) is now classified as statutory school age or not, given they are now in eyfs up until the 31st August after their 5th birthday not the term after as before. I don't think HTs have clearly understood what that may mean. As a child could be in ANY eyfs setting, maintained or not until the very first day of Yr1 then why is acts of worship only statutory if they are in a school base setting. Otherwise ALL 5 year olds would have to be doing acts of corporate worship if the EYFS covers everyone????? It's such an anomaly. Cx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 HI After reading so many posts about how people were going to change timetables back in September we thought we would change and just go with the flo. We have part time children in the Autumn term so we said we wouldn't go into Assembly but we had time in class usually linked this to a SEAL aspect. After christmas all became full time so we went to the whole school assembly (certificates and acheievements) and joined year 1 and 2 for singing. After the half term we then joined whole school for another assembly (usually birthdays and story) then after Easter we will join whole school for final assembly which is usually a visitor (this is usually hardest as visitors tend to aim assembly at the oldest children). So far i think this has worked well. We are a village primary school and not a church school although school has strong links to the church we are also a one form intake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green hippo Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I teach a Nursery class in a catholic school and 'offically' should be spending 10% - YES 10%! - of timetable on R.E. and this is not supposed to included daily prayers or assemblies! I do at least one whole-group carpet session (15mins MAX) per week R.E. - then do a focused activity with an R.E. link every 2 weeks. I feel that I should be doing more e.g. a short reflection time everyday but am not sure what exactly to do in this time? What do others do who teach Nursery in a catholic school? Thanks Green Hippo x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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