Nativity Plays

A new survey, conducted by MORI Social Research Institute on behalf of the Times Educational Supplement, has revealed a move away from more traditional end-of-term activities in English and Welsh schools.

The research -- a survey of a representative sample of teachers in England and Wales -- found that a quarter of respondents (26%) say their school will not be holding a carol concert, and less than half (44%) work in schools which will be staging a Nativity play this year. In particular, one in seven primary school teachers (15%) say a Nativity play will not form part of their school's pre-Christmas celebrations, and neither a Nativity play nor a carol concert will feature in the end-of-term events in the workplace of one in twenty primary teachers (five per cent). However, half of teachers (50%) say their school will be incorporating a secular celebration, and a quarter (28%) a multi-faith celebration, into the year-end timetable.

These findings follow the publication ( www.qca.org.uk/2586_9821.html ) earlier this year of a framework for teaching religious education in schools in England. The framework, which is backed by the DfES but does not place a statutory obligation on schools, recommends that pupils should study a range of faiths including, but not restricted to Christianity, in the interests of promoting greater understanding and respect between religions.

In addition, the research found that three in five teachers -- 62% -- believe in God, a figure in line with the general public as a whole. Slightly fewer (58%) believe that Jesus was one of the prophets/rabbis/holy men, and over half (54%) that Jesus was the son of God.

Technical details

Fieldwork was conducted using the MORI Teachers' Omnibus survey with a representative sample of 789 primary and secondary teachers in England and Wales. Interviews took place between 5 November and 3 December 2004.

Topline Results

• Fieldwork for the MORI Teachers' Omnibus covered a representative sample of 789 primary and secondary school teachers in England and Wales
• Fieldwork was conducted between 5 November and 3 December 2004
• Results are based on all respondents unless otherwise stated
• Data are weighted to age, gender, phase and GOR.
• Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to multiple responses, computer rounding or the exclusion of don't know/not stated categories
• An asterisk (*) represents a value of less than half of one percent, but not zero
• For Question D1, comparative data are supplied, as appropriate, from the following two surveys:
  • BBC Heaven and Earth Show 2003. Findings based on 1001 interviews conducted by telephone with a representative sample of British adults aged 16+. Interviews were conducted between 8 and 17 August 2003.
  • Sunday Telegraph Millennium Poll 1999. Findings based on 608 interviews conducted by telephone with a representative sample of adults aged 18+ in Great Britain. Interviews were conducted on 16 December 1999.

QD1 Which, if any, of the things I am going to read out do you believe in?

QD2 Do you take part in collective worship at your school, or do you exercise your right to opt out? (If your school does not hold collective worship, would you take part or opt out if it did hold collective worship?)

QD3 In the run-up to Christmas, is your school planning any of the following activities?