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From Basingstoke Gazette:
MORE than three-quarters of secondary schools in Hampshire are not providing a satisfactory daily act of collective worship for their pupils, according to a recent report.

Hampshire County Council found that nearly 77 per cent of secondary school headteachers in Hampshire do not believe they satisfy the statutory requirements for a daily act of worship.

And only 56 per cent of headteachers believed that most acts of collective worship during each term are of a broadly Christian character.
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Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School, in Basingstoke, has two acts of worship every day.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of schools operate on secular lines, but there is no logistic reason why they cannot have an act of worship
Anthony Corish

Anthony Corish, headteacher, said: "I think the figures are a shame, but I'm not surprised.

"Unfortunately, the vast majority of schools operate on secular lines, but there is no logistic reason why they cannot have an act of worship.

"Our acts of worship provide pupils with an opportunity to develop their faith and their relationship with God."

Primary schools in Hampshire fared better, with more than 95 per cent of schools providing a daily act of collective worship, of which 95 per cent were of a Christian character.

A daily act of collective worship is required by the agreed syllabus for Hampshire, called Living Difference.

The Standing Committee for Religious Education (SACRE) set up an online questionnaire for all headteachers in Hampshire to complete in January this year.

The survey also found that girls are still outperforming boys at GCSE level in religious education, although the number of A* to C grades achieved by both boys and girls has decreased from last year.

Does anyone have an opinion on the role of collective worship and/or religion in 21st Century schools?

Children don't need religion, it's religion that causes the problems in this world.

You shouldn't enforce any views onto anybody, if they want to worship, they can go to one of the many churches in the area.

We should be spending time teaching children the morale of life to help society to get on with each other.

Colinc

I agree Colin, you are absolutely right!

Agree with Colin.
Children should learn such things as courtesy, care, respect etc. found in many faiths. These should be learnt at home.
Parents must bring up children and not expect state funded schools to their job for them

I agree that children should learn "courtesy, care, respect", I also agree that that should come from the home. However, religion should be part of a children's learning, because as was pointed out, religion seems to be one of the root causes of problems in todays society, and in my opinion that comes from lack of understanding.

How many of you can say that as a child, assembly with a prayer and hymns weren't part of your daily/weekly routine at school? Even in High School, I remember 15 minutes in the morning, and after lunch - during registration - being used for 'reflection'. And this was in your 'bog standard' high school, not in a church-run school.

colinc, teaching religion isn't about enforcing your views on anyone. It's about giving a person the information to be able to make the choice on their own.

i do not think religion should be forced onto children but people who believe in god should have the chance to pray etc if the wish to but it should be a choise not something to force upon our children

i have no problem with giving students the chance to worship but children who dont believe in god should have the chance to leave or not attend if they so choose. i felt when i was in primary school that i had no choise but to pray and be forsed to listen to bible stories and i hated every min of it everyone has a choise not just the children whos families are non christian there was a guy in my school who was of a dif religion and he had to leave when it came time to pray or listen to the stories and i wished every day that i could follow him. i DO NOT want my child to go through the same thing i will teach him about all religions not just christiaity if he chooses to believe in one of the many i wont stop him i will help. your religion is your choise lets keep it that way

I share your point of view Kirsty. When I was in primary school, I did not understand the concept of god or religion as I do now, and I doubt many kids my age did either.
All I knew was that a few times a week, everyone filed into the school hall, listened to some bible stories, sing a couple of songs, pray and back to class.

Religion is an extremely complex subject, not to be taken so lightly.
At primary school age, children should really be taught about a range of world religions, so they have some understanding of their teachings and cultures. That way, when they are old enough to understand, they can make a decision about what they choose to belief or practice.

At the end of the day, religion is such as strong aspect of our lives today, the choice on which to believe in or if not to, should not be made on a child's behalf.

Individual faiths should not have a place in public schools. I have no problems teaching a child about various world religions but 'collective worship' requirements usually mean Christian prayers, hymns pretty much exclusively and this is wrong. Every child is born an atheist, faith schools should not be funded by the government. The idea of put up and shut up, i.e. no harm is done is just galling. Keep the family faith at home and don't impose it on those who have no faith in anyone's sky fairy. The teaching of common morals and ethics do not need any religion to back them up.

i totally agree if they want to be religous they can go to many of the churches locally its a personel choice not one that should be forced upon any one