Easter celebrations cancelled at Primary school

It cannot be right indeed. The waves of hate and threats. They have also taken the letter out of context, which is of looking at a change not a cancelling.

Indigo8

If it is not a Christian church school what is the objection?

Stephanie Mander is a good pro-active head that is what matters most not some silly fuss about nothing.

The important thing is that the children are being taught effectively in preparation for their SATs not whether they take part in some stupid Easter bonnet thing.

I would imagine she has done this with the backing of the Board of Governors..

Indigo8

Do boys wear bonnets or is it a girls only thing? My DCs and DGCs have never been involved so I wouldn't know.

Bit unnecessarily rude to call Ms Mander a complete prat.
especially as we don't know the full story.

Why has woke become a pejorative term on GN?

Well, it's very innocuous compared to some of the unacceptable remarks which are apparently appearing in the media.

A prat = stupid or foolish.

What exactly are the religious origins of Easter bonnets? Bunnies? Eggs?
Perhaps Miss Mander objects to paganism.

Do boys wear bonnets or is it a girls only thing?
When DS was a nursery (that was a long time ago!) the boys and girls decorated hats for Easter, his was more like a straw trilby. I can't remember what we put on it but, knowing him, he might have wanted it decorated with chocolate eggs

Google ‘Scots/Scottish bonnet’ and you’ll find an array of men’s head wear pops up, as well as a certain chilli pepper. Bonnets are not just for women.

It's a shame because this type of activity is fun as well as being creative and educational.

Sure, yes, indeed, but they are having a music festival in a couple weeks, and there are lots of ways of having fun.
I've actually never heard of Easter bonnets at schools before this thread, (yes, really) not for me, not in my sons school, not in my grandchildren's school.

Are we not supposed to celebrate our Christian beliefs and the traditions that sound such events such as Easter.? I am glad I am the age I am, common sense and equality long gone.
The analysts by Lathyrus, pure conjecture. Those with objections to making a bonnet, just let them opt out and perhaps for that hour do art orcsonethibg else. Will Maypole dancing be next for those that do it once a year. It's things like this that creates division, not inclusion.

I'm a bit confused how you can cancel Easter celebrations at school, but still call it the Easter holidays, and on the school's website it shows Good Friday and Easter Monday as public holidays! Why not cancel the days' off work then if they're not to be observed?
I agree, this all creates more division than harmony. I do feel for the Headteacher going through the fall-out.

It’s primary school not A level year.

At this age school has to have an element of fun, it is possible to learn through fun activities, Easter being one such example.

This is England, Easter, Christmas, Shrove Tuesday (pancake day) etc have been part of primary schools events for decades, let the children be children and encourage activities that are integral to the majority of UK society.

GrannyGravy13

It’s primary school not A level year.

At this age school has to have an element of fun, it is possible to learn through fun activities, Easter being one such example.

This is England, Easter, Christmas, Shrove Tuesday (pancake day) etc have been part of primary schools events for decades, let the children be children and encourage activities that are integral to the majority of UK society.

Well said. Apparently the Easter bonnet/ hat came about when on Easter Sunday all wore there best clothes, so what is wrong with letting incomers take part in our cultural celebration of the Easter story. I feel sad that a misguided teacher, cannot see the bigger story of this, it would be inclusive, shes breaking school rules re worship, teaching all children the Easter story, and she needs pulling up about it. In fact she seems like many today, getting offended on others behalf, when she's not even included them. That is offensive.

Allsorts

Are we not supposed to celebrate our Christian beliefs and the traditions that sound such events such as Easter.? I am glad I am the age I am, common sense and equality long gone.
The analysts by Lathyrus, pure conjecture. Those with objections to making a bonnet, just let them opt out and perhaps for that hour do art orcsonethibg else. Will Maypole dancing be next for those that do it once a year. It's things like this that creates division, not inclusion.

Can you explain the Christian connection with decorating bonnets? I don't think it's in the bible.

I went to a Catholic school, the nuns taught us many things about our religion. It never included bonnets.

Why not just have the spring bonnet parade? Would that spoil the fun in some weird way?

GrannyGravy13. Your point about learning through fun reminded me of a lovely story about my godson.

His primary school seemed to make something fun from every event.

He came home once with a card he'd made at Diwali, presented it to his parents with the phrase he'd obviously been taught -

"Happy Diwali Mummy and Daddy."
"Happy Diwali to you too William."
William to his parents, "What's Diwali?"

Perhaps you had to be there, but it still makes me laugh now even now and William is 25. We all benefited from the breadth of education he had.

I think sadly that schools have lost their way with inclusivity , maybe not surprising as Universities seem to have gone the same way.
They are confused in my view, they think it means getting rid of our own customs, traditions and religions instead of simply including some belonging to other countries and cultures and adding them to our own, in order to make people feel welcome.

Oreo

I think sadly that schools have lost their way with inclusivity , maybe not surprising as Universities seem to have gone the same way.
They are confused in my view, they think it means getting rid of our own customs, traditions and religions instead of simply including some belonging to other countries and cultures and adding them to our own, in order to make people feel welcome.

I think you have hit the nail firmly on the head.

We are fortunate that the two primary schools in our road (we have GC at both) are inclusive of all faiths.

We have an Easter Egg hunt at one with an Easter Bonnet parade for those in Reception.

The other is having various Easter and Ramadan activities (Ramadan and `Lent have overlapped this year). Reception class has reared chicks from eggs in incubators in the classroom.

My experience of working in areas with diverse populations was that parents of all faiths or none valued the way schools marked or celebrated religious festivals. Two of my grandchildren go to a village Catholic school where pupils of Catholic faith come from various countries like India, Africa as well as white British. My grandsons gave up chocolate for Lent, supported by mummy. They’ve talked at school and in our family about Ramadan and fasting, comparing the two. Our area has a high Muslim population and Hindu festivals are also discussed in schools
This Easter Bonnet issue seems another way of making much of not a lot

“The analysts by Lathyrus, pure conjecture.” (sic)

Yes of course they were. It was a joke - with a grain of cynical truth…………..

ViceVersa

Personally, I think religion should be no part of a state education.

I think the learning about all religions is a good thing, but not the religious services we all endured during daily assemblies, unless, of course, it’s a faith school!

Cossy

ViceVersa

Personally, I think religion should be no part of a state education.

I think the learning about all religions is a good thing, but not the religious services we all endured during daily assemblies, unless, of course, it’s a faith school!

I agree.
How else do we gain an understanding of the importance religion holds in many people’s lives? Any religion.

On the subject of bonnet decorating/making. Fine, where a primary school child has a parent who has both time and money to sort this out for them. And, only one child at the school. I was a stay-at-home Mum, but I can still remember (even many decades later) how my stomach would turn over when a letter was brought home about something needing to be made out of school. Also, at one time I had six children at my local primary (infant through to Juniors) school (one in Reception, 2 (twins) Year 2, 1 each in Years 4, 5 & 6). Try making things like easter bonnets in a very limited finances for all of them!!!

Stephanie Mander is a good pro-active head that is what matters most not some silly fuss about nothing.

How do you know this?
As far as I can ascertain, she has only been Headteacher for less than a term; in October 2024 she was recorded as Deputy Head at another school. In her first term as Head she has managed to alienate a high percentage of the parents by an extremely foolish decision to remove fun Easter activities and the traditional end of term Easter service, in the name of Inclusion.
The Head of the Governors is a practising Baptist Minister, and it is even more surprising if he has condoned this.

The most original Easter bonnet I ever saw was worn by a boy, and consisted of a white swimming cap with eggshells threaded on cotton dangling over his ears. He won first prize,

If children do not learn about all faiths along with their ceremonies, how they are celebrated and the many similarities between them all, how on earth can we expect to live harmoniously in our multicultural world?

The majority of the posters vociferously supporting a Christian festival demonstrate a complete lack of Christian principles, values and behaviour

You see it here, those purporting to be Christians who do not have the time of day for those from another background.

The Ofsted report was not poor as suggested by one poster, there is no chance of canceling Christmas, and the children are happy at the school. What the hell is wrong with people really?

The Head of the Governors is a practising Baptist Minister, and it is even more surprising if he has condoned this

Perhaps he is a hard working and decent man of faith who does not enjoy calling the Head teacher a prat.