Class Assemblies & Rememberance Sunday

[Guest]

We will start attending Infant assembly once a week / building up to whole school assemblies end of this term or start of next year.

Have been requested to hold our own Reception assemblies in our classroom starting this week.

 

Putting opinions to the side on the subject (in a recent lecture given by Penny Tassoni - she gave the advice that you should at least wear interesting shoes as thats about as far as the children's attention will go.....!!!)

 

We are not a faith school - but it's regarded as an important part of the daily routine (I tend to agree for older ones when entertaining and interesting - but rarely find myself feeling entertained or interested & especially if I was 4 years old! Does that make me a bad 'teacher'? )

 

I've looked through archieves/ found some sites etc for 'themes' & ideas, but they simply don't look all that age appropriate or they are about what poeple think about having to attend them!

 

Has anyone got some pratical resources/ info/ EY web sites/content?

I know there is the SEAL material, but we are covering this largely in the curriculum & if used could use help with generating a new way of presenting!

 

With Rememberance Sunday coming up ... how do others deal with this? How do you simplify appropriately & sensitively?

 

All advice gratefully recieved

[Guest]

Hi! I am not an expert and I am sure this subject has been covered on this site before - maybe you could do a search - but, for what it's worth - can you/are you allowed to interpret 'assembly' quite loosely? I only ask this because I do!! I often hold a circle time or a 'Candle Time' which is when we sit together as a large group and watch the candle flicker in the middle - allowing the children time for free thought - after a few minutes of silent reflection - the children can, if they want, share their thoughts. It only lasts about 10 mins. I consider this my 'assembly.'

 

Or what about a children's Bible Story or story from another faith - kept short and with puppets or actions etc. I am not religious but am always amazed at how much Bible Stories really seem to grip the children's imagination. I would also count this session as an 'assembly'

 

If you need to make a reference to God(s) /faith I am sure this can easily be incorporated into Candle Time.

 

I wonder if this will help you?

[Susan]

Unfortunately, there is a legal requirement for a daily act of worship with school aged children.

Fortunately, there are numerous ways of doing this as long as you include a time of quiet reflection. Using a candle is one way, closing eyes and thinking of something (specified!) could be another. This need only take a few minutes and can be non demoninational. If your children go to Assembly you will not be required to do this in your classroom.

Your school may have specific requirements and you should ask for guidance!

 

For Rememberance Sunday, it is sufficient to show a poppy and explain the significance and why the children are seeing them for sale at this time of year. You could then have a moments reflection with or without a candle.

It is not unusual, in my experience, for LEAs to ask schools to stop at the appropriate moment to observe the silence and you need to explain why this will happen. As Armistice Day is a Saturday this year, that may not be asked of you but do be prepared.

[Guest]

I run a pre-school and we always do a minute or two silence on the 11th. we work our drinks time around the children sitting at elen o'clock. we use the radio with big Ben and it is amazing how the children all sit quietly for that time. I ususally explain it is to remeber all the soldiers who have died to make this world safe.

Even if they don't understand completely it never fails to amaze me how much they do understand. we make a big poppy collage and talk about why their grandparents are wearing poppies (usually not their parents)

there is something about the sound of big ben and the streets all going quiet that makes even the noisiest child quiet.

I'm not religious but a quiet time for reflection is quiet nice