Advice

TALKING POINT

Multi-faith teaching in your church hall?

Should church-based toddler groups and playgroups have to celebrate non-Christian festivals? Playleader magazine Diana Turner looks at the issue

Many families who never attend church on Sundays cross the threshold on weekdays when they bring their children to the local pre-school playgroup or toddler group.

In 1999 the Publications and Research Manager of the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) estimated 56% of their groups (ie.between 10,000 and 11,000 groups) occupied church halls and village or other community halls, but she knew that the great majority of these groups use church halls.

So often church-linked groups provide gentle opportunities to share your faith with little children and their parents. However, for several years now Christian leaders have contacted me because they are distressed at being told they should celebrate other faith festivals.

Last week, when one parish playgroup leader phoned asking for advice about this, I realised some of the children in her group were less than three years old, most enter school soon after their third birthday, and the group only meets for two hours on two mornings a week.

"Couldn’t you just celebrate Diwali?" pleaded the inspector. The leader said she did not think so. Do other faiths come under the same pressure to celebrate Christian festivals?

It is important for pre-school supervisors and nursery teachers to know how to respond when told to celebrate other faith festivals. Life is difficult for Christians these days, but I am sure we are not alone in believing multi-faith teaching is confusing and unsuitable for very young children in the Early Years. Yet nobody wants a bad OFSTED report.

In the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) summary of Early Learning Goals (ELGs) in the section Personal and Social and Emotional Development it says:

"By the end of the foundation stage, most children will be able to ... understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs, which need to be treated with respect."

In the summary of ELGs in the section Knowledge and understanding of the world it says: "By the end of the foundation stage, most children will be able to ... begin to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people."

The phrase "By the end of" is significant for playgroups where the majority of children are three years old. There is a huge difference between the ability of a three and a six-year-old to learn and understand, and it is certainly worth gently and firmly pointing out that children under three years old are below the age covered by the Foundation stage.

We should comply with government guidelines to be 'sensitive to the needs and feelings of others and show respect for people of other cultures and beliefs', and if we live in multiracial areas we might provide this information without going into details.

Hindus celebrate Diwali, and during this Festival they make beautiful patterns. Then you could give the children a Rangoli pattern to colour in and take home.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Talk about the meaning of the word fast, and say many Christians fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and at other times too.

Many playgroup and nursery settings celebrate Chinese New Year.

However over 17 years in Playleader we have stated firmly and consistently our right to teach the Christian faith in pre-schools, and otherwise simply inform children about other cultures ( rather than about religions).

So often when advisers notice a Christian group is lacking in multicultural input they immediately see the remedy is for the children to celebrate the festivals of other religions. But the words 'culture' and 'beliefs' have separate meanings. After all, a certain percentage of the population of India is Christian, and a number of English people practise other religions.

It is wise for a pre-school to state clearly in its constitution that it is a Christian group, with all that means. There should then be freedom to teach and live the Christian faith, tell Bible stories and celebrate Christian festivals. Also talk about different cultures and introduce the children to what others eat and wear, where possible asking people from other countries of origin to come and show these to the children.

Dawn Davies, the Supervisor of Epsom Christian Fellowship Playgroup, shares that at their inspection in January 2001, OFSTED said they could continue celebrating Christian Festivals only, and teach about other cultures by discussing the way people live, but not majoring on any other religions.

Dawn said: "We have been fortunate to have helpers who have lived abroad, and can bring firsthand knowledge and stories to the children. We have also invited parents of other nationalities to bring clothes, songs etc in to us, and talk to the children. The inspector recognised this is more real for the children than making cards to celebrate a festival that they do not celebrate at home."

Mike Simmonds, Development Officer of Care for Education comments: "Although Ofsted inspectors do have to work to a framework, it is of course capable of interpretation, so there clearly could be some differences across the country. Perhaps one of the problems is that some Christian nurseries/play schools are not always good at covering cultural differences. If they were to, they are more likely to satisfy inspection teams."

Diana Turner is the editor of Playleader magazine, which is full of information and ideas to inspire, encourage and support all those involved with preschool children. Published three times a year, Playleader is an ecumenical resource, which was founded in 1985, and is funded entirely by donations. For further details visit the website www.playleader.freeuk.com or write to Diana at 125 Finchfield Lane, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV3 8EY. e-mail: di.turner@lineOne.net

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		TALKING POINT Multi-faith teaching in your church hall? Should church-based toddler groups and playgroups have to celebrate non-Christian festivals? Playleader magazine Diana Turner looks at the issue Many families who never attend church on Sundays cross the threshold on weekdays when they bring their children to the local pre-school playgroup or toddler group. In 1999 the Publications and Research Manager of the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) estimated 56% of their groups (ie.between 10,000 and 11,000 groups) occupied church halls and village or other community halls, but she knew that the great majority of these groups use church halls. So often church-linked groups provide gentle opportunities to share your faith with little children and their parents. However, for several years now Christian leaders have contacted me because they are distressed at being told they should celebrate other faith festivals. Last week, when one parish playgroup leader phoned asking for advice about this, I realised some of the children in her group were less than three years old, most enter school soon after their third birthday, and the group only meets for two hours on two mornings a week. "Couldn’t you just celebrate Diwali?" pleaded the inspector. The leader said she did not think so. Do other faiths come under the same pressure to celebrate Christian festivals? It is important for pre-school supervisors and nursery teachers to know how to respond when told to celebrate other faith festivals. Life is difficult for Christians these days, but I am sure we are not alone in believing multi-faith teaching is confusing and unsuitable for very young children in the Early Years. Yet nobody wants a bad OFSTED report. In the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) summary of Early Learning Goals (ELGs) in the section Personal and Social and Emotional Development it says: "By the end of the foundation stage, most children will be able to ... understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs, which need to be treated with respect." In the summary of ELGs in the section Knowledge and understanding of the world it says: "By the end of the foundation stage, most children will be able to ... begin to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people." The phrase "By the end of" is significant for playgroups where the majority of children are three years old. There is a huge difference between the ability of a three and a six-year-old to learn and understand, and it is certainly worth gently and firmly pointing out that children under three years old are below the age covered by the Foundation stage. We should comply with government guidelines to be 'sensitive to the needs and feelings of others and show respect for people of other cultures and beliefs', and if we live in multiracial areas we might provide this information without going into details. Hindus celebrate Diwali, and during this Festival they make beautiful patterns. Then you could give the children a Rangoli pattern to colour in and take home. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Talk about the meaning of the word fast, and say many Christians fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and at other times too. Many playgroup and nursery settings celebrate Chinese New Year. However over 17 years in Playleader we have stated firmly and consistently our right to teach the Christian faith in pre-schools, and otherwise simply inform children about other cultures ( rather than about religions). So often when advisers notice a Christian group is lacking in multicultural input they immediately see the remedy is for the children to celebrate the festivals of other religions. But the words 'culture' and 'beliefs' have separate meanings. After all, a certain percentage of the population of India is Christian, and a number of English people practise other religions. It is wise for a pre-school to state clearly in its constitution that it is a Christian group, with all that means. There should then be freedom to teach and live the Christian faith, tell Bible stories and celebrate Christian festivals. Also talk about different cultures and introduce the children to what others eat and wear, where possible asking people from other countries of origin to come and show these to the children. Dawn Davies, the Supervisor of Epsom Christian Fellowship Playgroup, shares that at their inspection in January 2001, OFSTED said they could continue celebrating Christian Festivals only, and teach about other cultures by discussing the way people live, but not majoring on any other religions. Dawn said: "We have been fortunate to have helpers who have lived abroad, and can bring firsthand knowledge and stories to the children. We have also invited parents of other nationalities to bring clothes, songs etc in to us, and talk to the children. The inspector recognised this is more real for the children than making cards to celebrate a festival that they do not celebrate at home." Mike Simmonds, Development Officer of Care for Education comments: "Although Ofsted inspectors do have to work to a framework, it is of course capable of interpretation, so there clearly could be some differences across the country. Perhaps one of the problems is that some Christian nurseries/play schools are not always good at covering cultural differences. If they were to, they are more likely to satisfy inspection teams." Diana Turner is the editor of Playleader magazine, which is full of information and ideas to inspire, encourage and support all those involved with preschool children. Published three times a year, Playleader is an ecumenical resource, which was founded in 1985, and is funded entirely by donations. For further details visit the website www.playleader.freeuk.com or write to Diana at 125 Finchfield Lane, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV3 8EY. e-mail: di.turner@lineOne.net © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.