CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT ST ANNE'S

Having accepted Jill Carr's invitation to attend the Dovelands Primary School's junior pupils' Christmas Concert, at St Anne's Parish Church, Letchworth Road, we arrive there just after 1100, when things are in full swing. Jill's son is helping out with some of the musical accompaniment. The church is packed and we squeeze in at the back door, just as the children launch into their presentation of the Annunciation. The performances are lovely, everything is greeted with beaming smiles and rewarded by much clapping. The words to the songs are projected using PowerPoint on the back wall of the church, so that the children don't have to hold song sheets (or worry about forgetting anything). The audience can't see any of this unless they turn round - indeed many wouldn't know it's there (until the projectionist gets ahead of themselves and flashes through some of the slides too quickly, so that the Deputy Head has to stop the singing and ask for the slides to go back a few). At one point, the command "Groove!" appears and the children go into a hand jive! And there are few things that say "Christmas" better than a small child playing "Away in a Manger" on solo descant recorder (with obligatory squeaky notes).

Photo © Copyright Tony Ellis and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

ENGAGING WITH LEICESTER'S FAITH COMMUNITIES: MUSLIMS

At Madani High School, Evington Valley Road, this morning, for a meeting to progress the Muslim text in the series, Engaging with Leicester's Faith Communities. We've recently held a similar meeting on the Christian text with representatives from different churches. Back in the summer (way back in the summer) we held what turned out to be a significant meeting at the Tigers with leading figures from each of the city's Gurdwaras (and the schools with the biggest populations of Sick pupils and students) on the Sikh text. We're in the process of arranging this kind of meeting to look over the text of the Hindu booklet, to be held early next year.

This meeting should have been held two weeks ago, but was postponed. The school was closed because the heating had broken down. It's much colder today (at one point this morning, the temperature read -8 on the top of the Leicester Mercury building) and when I arrive at Madani, the school is once again closed to pupils today because the heating has broken down. But it feels quite cosy compared to outside and our meeting is on.

There are only two others here for the meeting: Jill Carr, RE Advisor to Leicester City Council and Secretary of Leicester SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) and Shaykh Dr Ashraf Makadam, Chair of the Federation of Muslim Organisations and Director of Madani High School.

The intention behind these booklets is that they should provide practical advice to school staff on everyday matters affecting, or affected by, the beliefs and practices of members of the school community (as well as applying guidance to topics such as holy days and festivals). One of the interesting things we explore today is how to produce a text that is useful both in the context of a Muslim faith school (like Madani) and in state schools with varying numbers of Muslims pupils, students and staff among them.

These booklets are partly in Q&A form, addressing the kind of issues that could easily cause confusion or contention in schools. For example:

• "Is our school dress code suitable for Muslim pupils/students?"
• "Does a beard have religious significance for older male Muslim students?"
• "What provision should be made for after-school classes during Ramadan?"
• "Is it alright to take part in mixed gender sports activities?"

We make good progress on the text, but there's not enough time to finish it today, so Jill will make the amendments agreed this morning and circulate the booklet one (last?) time.

On the way out, we're introduced to John Kirk, from the Gideons, who's come to the school to discuss introducing the Bible to students and the possibility of teaching a few sessions on Christianity in their RE classes. I remember being given a Gideon's Bible at school when I was 11 or 12. I still have it.

I'm also greeted by a couple of teachers from the school who helped out on the Council of Faiths exhibition in Highcross for Inter Faith Week. Nice to see them again - and they seem to have positive recollections of the event (which is nice).

Jill offers me a lift into town. As we're walking to her car, she mentions that she's been invited to Dovelands Primary School's junior pupils' Christmas Concert, at St Anne's Parish Church in Western Park. She asks me if I'd like to come - why not? Doesn't look like I'm going to get to any other Christmas concerts this year and there are few things more seasonal and cheering. I'm sure it will be a very nice way to pass an hour or so.

SACRE AT ABBEY COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

At Abbey Community Primary School, Belgrave, this afternoon for a meeting of Leicester SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education).

Peter Greaves, deputy head of Dovelands Primary School addresses us on how to improve the experience of school parties visiting places of worship (or "centres", so that we can include other venues, such as Secular Hall). Such visits are taking on increasing significance in the context of pupils and students learning outside the classroom and of schools' responsibility to promote community cohesion. He offered a few principles that could be observed by the school and the place of worship before, during and after arranged visits.

BEFORE THE VISIT

For the place of worship

Good communication - contact details

A "clued-up" person who can make knowledgeable arrangements - time, facilities, available adults etc

Should say what they can offer, not ask the school to say what they want

For the school

A clear age-appropriate focus for the visit - why is the school group visiting?

Clear timings

A pre-visit by a member of staff (identified as the single most important thing on this list)

For both

Confirm all arrangements in writing, with a telephone call the day before

DURING THE VISIT

For the place of worship

Sticking to arrangements and focus

Being ready

Somewhere to put stuff (coats, lunchboxes etc)

Well-stocked toilets!

Enough leaders

Keep communicating any concern to teachers/leaders

For the school

Keep communicating any concern to staff in the place of worship

AFTER THE VISIT

For the school

Notes of thanks and examples of work and photos

For both

Any feedback that would help to make future visits better

We also consider three significant difficulties on this topic. Firstly, the environment within a place of worship is normally set up for adult users and visitors. This may mean that some material (e.g. images of historical conflict between faiths and cultures) may be difficult for children to see or for adults to explain to them.

Secondly, we hear anecdotal evidence that some (unspecified) places of worship don't allow wheelchair users access to certain parts of their sites, because of concern about dirt on their wheels. This will have to be addressed (by SACRE?) to ensure that places of worship abide by legislation.

Thirdly, we discuss the common difficulties of persuading or reassuring parents (of all religions and denominations) to allow their children to visit places of worship of faiths other than their own. Schools need to make it clear that the classes will visit a place of worship for all faith communities as part of a cycle of education that is as inclusive as possible and doesn't favour any particular religion(s) over any other(s).

Jill Carr, Secretary of SACRE, gives a brief report on progress with the new series of information booklets, entitled "Engaging with Faith Communities in Leicester". The Muslim text is just about finished. The Sikh text is in advanced draft form. The Hindu text is just getting to the draft stage. The Christian text hasn't been started yet. A meeting with the Presidents of Leicester's seven gurdwaras has been called at Leicester Tigers next month (see blog, Wednesday 19 May) to discuss issues raised in the Sikh text, particularly the wearing of the Kirpan (dagger) by Sikh pupils, students and staff in schools.

Under Any Other Business, our Chair brings to our attention Celebrating RE - a month-long celebration of religious education in England and Wales in March 2011. It strikes me that this is something Leicester Council of Faiths might be able to accommodate in its 25th anniversary year.