Atheist at a church school wwyd?

[madcatlady444]

I'm a PGCE student on my final placement in a lovely village primary school. Only problem is it is a Church of England school. I'm an atheist/humanist and feel very uncomfortable with all the praying etc. They pray at the end of every day, I'm concerned they will ask me to lead the prayer, which I'm not happy to do at all. I don't want to make a fuss, as I need their reference to get a job, but am not happy to compromise my principles. Wwyd?

[Shallishanti]

I have had similar (long term supply at RC school), my solution was to make sure I looked very respectful whilst not participating. In my own class I invited children to lead the prayers.

[cricketballs]

you need to ensure that you show respect to the religion and not dismiss it. My RC secondary school has more staff who are non-RC than RC and even though we don't do the cross etc, we still bow our heads when a prayer is said as its about respect rather than belief.

When it's my turn to lead a prayer, I easily find a passage which is non religious but about ethics/doing the right thing etc which I read out