Schools debate issue of daily worship

Dan Kendrick takes a look at whether such services are a crucial part of a school's community or an outdated tradition.

DAVID Bell, head of Ofsted, revealed that more than three-quarters of secondary schools are breaking the law because they do not offer "collective worship" each day.

As a result, otherwise excellent education authorities across the country have been downgraded during Government inspections because of their failure to enforce this law.

Mr Bell has now called for the requirement to be relaxed to weekly or even monthly acts of worship.

"With the broadening of Britain's religious and cultural identity, spirituality has come into its own as encapsulating those very qualities that make us human," he said last week.

"But, are we right to be requiring from our young people levels of observance that are not matched even by the Christian faithful?"

He added that very few people, apart from schoolchildren, were required to attend daily worship.

His comments, marking the 60th anniversary of the Education Act which introduced the requirement, were applauded by education chiefs across the country.

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, called the requirement an "anachronism".

"The time has come to get rid of the hypocrisy and change the law so there are statutory requirements which accord with the reality of running schools in the 21st Century," he said.

"The NAHT would go further and seek the abolition of any requirement on the part of sixth form students. It is a nonsense that students in further education colleges do not have to observe such an act, but sixth formers in schools do."

However, Worcestershire's schools reacted with dismay at the implications.

Tim Keyes, headteacher at The King's School, Worcester, said such acts of worship gave education in the UK a unique, community spirit, which is absent elsewhere.

"I see the fact that we still have such occasions in British schools as something that makes us distinctly different from those in the USA and on the continent where there is very little chance or, indeed, will to foster a sense of community," said Mr Keyes.

"That is something of which we should be proud."

Fears have been raised by members of the church that if the requirement were reduced, collective worship at schools would cease altogether.

And Mr Keyes, from the Cathedral school, said this should never be allowed to happen.

"Schools have a duty to help young people formulate a moral code or creed that will help them to live fulfilling lives, to be tolerant and considerate of others and to be good citizens," he said.

"It is worth devoting a few minutes of the morning, as a community, where everyone hears the same messages."

However, he said the act of coming together was just as important as any form of worship.

"Assemblies and acts of worship, where a senior pupil or member of staff talk about what is important to them, are great times to explore what it is to be human," he said.

"This cannot be taught in a classroom, it needs to be experienced."

Susan Cookson, headteacher at St Mary's Convent School, in Mount Battenhall, Worcester, echoed his thoughts.

"As a Christian community the act of daily worship is an intrinsic part of school life," she said.

"It is a time each day when the whole school family meets to reaffirm our common commitment to our community and our Christian values that underpin all we do."

Neil Morris said it was important to strike a balance because, while it is not always possible to adhere to the current law, assemblies remain a crucial aspect of school life.

"As it stands, we do not have enough space to have all our students together so every child has assembly twice a week and technically we are breaking the law," said Mr Morris, from Christopher Whitehead High School, in Bromwich Road, St John's.

"So I would tacitly agree with Mr Bell's statement, especially if schools or LEAs are being judged by it.

"But I would be worried if a reduction meant that some schools stopped holding assemblies altogether, because they are crucial.

"We use them to celebrate our successes, to host outside speakers at the school and also to provide some spiritual guidance to our students.

"I would certainly hold more if I could."

The legal requirement to provide "daily acts of collective worship" may seem outdated but the acts themselves remain a valued aspect of 21st Century education.

Any change, no matter how sensible at face value, will clearly have to be handled sensitively to avoid sending the wrong message to schools across the country.