everyfaithmatters
Good Practice - Christian Character
How well does the school, through its distinctive Christian character, meet the needs of all learners?
| We held Refugee Week in school. It was a chance to give pupils new experiences - the confusion of facing a whole lesson in a foreign language. They made temporary shelters and then they experienced them being destroyed. It helped the children to understand what it might be like to come from a foreign country and why they should be welcoming (and some of their classmates came from refugee communities in any case). | At our school there is an Eid celebration every year. At Christmas children have brought in party food. For Eid, it's different because all the food is brought in for the afternoon and prepared by parents. Last Christmas, the question was raised, "Are parents able to come in for the Christmas party? Parents get invited to the Eid party. What about the Christmas party?" I had to say "I'm sorry I didn't realise that." |
| It's the little things that can prove important - they're often the things that aren't on the radar for you. We had a parental complaint. When it was the Christmas parties, the children had to bring their party clothes and change into them at school. Then a parent pointed out "when it's Eid they (sic - i.e. Muslim children) come in their clothes for the Eid party. How come?" | The challenge for the inner urban area church school, is it a culture based challenge or a faith based challenge? At our school we're into third generation Pakistani families - they are British through and through. Families cross cultures. And when it comes to faith they are not even from the same mosque - so by its nature it's diverse in faith, it's diverse in the culture within faith. |
| A parent in reception was concerned about a dragon on a sweat shirt in the child's first week. I talked it round and the child ended up wearing the sweat shirt. In dealing with divisive issues, there are often other ways in which cultural diversity can be recognised. | Parents with different faiths began to respect each others' religions. We did a lot of stuff celebrating different cultures. When we did healthy foods we did foods from round the world. Or we'd do mendhi patterns. This sort of approach became second nature in school. |
| Often there's a public link with the church in schools - some with altars in school, some with regular visits to the church. Our school wasn't like that but the Christian ethos permeated all of it. It wasn't just about RE. | Everyone has the ability to model for the children what they expect to be doing. It is promoted by everyone in the school. That's important for all the children in the school whatever their religion. |
| A liberal view of what worship is doesn't demean from its importance and significance but puts the child at the heart to explore it. | It's obvious but it still needs saying. Cultural diversity is an asset in the school not a problem. We have these different communities and we're able to share them. We come from a richer soil. |
If you have encountered examples of good practice please email the Revd Andrew Wickens, Dudley Education Chaplain, on
