Council hits back at misinformation about religion lessons at Swansea primary school

The allegations — repeated in a parents’ meeting and later on GB News — suggested pupils had been asked to pray on Muslim mats, recite verses from the Quran, and that Christianity was being sidelined in lessons.

Council insists lessons are balanced

In a detailed statement, the authority said pupils were not being asked to take part in Islamic prayers or rituals, and that Christianity remains central to the school’s curriculum.

“We have a strong ongoing relationship with our local churches. We have regular visits and our pupils participate in major Christian festivals with them including Christmas, Easter and the annual Harvest Festival.

This was the first time someone of the Islamic faith from our local mosque was invited to the school.

It is untrue to claim pupils were told they would all be Muslim by the time they get to Year Six or that they were taught Islamic prayers.

We pride ourselves on being a school where everyone is treated with dignity, tolerance and respect. Like all schools in Wales we are required to include religious studies as part of our curriculum. Lessons and assemblies mainly reflect the broad traditions of Christian belief but we also try to give our pupils a basic understanding of the world’s other major religions.”

How the claims spread

Concerns were first raised in a parents’ meeting at Mayhill Community Centre on 7 October, attended by Reform UK councillor Francesca O’Brien. The event was promoted on Facebook and supported by members of the controversial far‑right group Voice of Wales.

Following the meeting, GB News broadcast an interview with Cllr O’Brien in which she repeated parents’ claims that children had been asked to pray on Muslim mats and recite Quranic verses, and that Christianity was not being given equal weight.

On 9 October, Nation.Cymru reported on the controversy, describing O’Brien as having “teamed up” with Voice of Wales — a characterisation she disputes.

Council leader condemns “false and dangerous” claims

Council leader Rob Stewart welcomed the release of Swansea Council’s statement, warning that false claims put staff and communities at risk.

“Deliberately spreading false information is both dangerous and deplorable. It puts our teachers and members of our communities at risk. It’s not acceptable. False malicious information needs to be called out. Those deliberately spreading false information need to be called out.”

In a separate post, he added:

“Serious questions for ex‑Tory now Reform councillor Francesca O’Brien to answer. Is she now working with the far‑right? Her failure to correct misinformation is deplorable.”

O’Brien: “I was giving parents a voice”

Cllr O’Brien has rejected suggestions that she is aligned with any group, insisting she was approached directly by parents and agreed to listen to their concerns.

“I don’t believe welcoming a meeting with parents who’ve raised genuine concerns is inciting hate,” she said. “I made it very clear I wasn’t there as the local councillor. Parents felt they needed to be heard, and that’s what I did.”

She also disputed the Nation.Cymru description of her having “teamed up” with Voice of Wales, saying she works independently and was not acting in partnership with any organisation.

What happens next

The council has urged any parents with questions about the curriculum to raise them directly with their child’s school, rather than relying on social media claims. Officials say they will continue to provide clear information about how Religion, Values and Ethics is taught under the Curriculum for Wales.

The row highlights how quickly local concerns can escalate once amplified online and in national media. For now, Swansea Council insists its focus remains on ensuring pupils receive a balanced education that reflects both Wales’ Christian traditions and an understanding of other world faiths.

Related Articles

• Swansea Councillor Francesca O’Brien joins Reform UK
  Former deputy leader of the Welsh Conservatives in Swansea announced her defection to Reform UK, saying the party offered “the only chance to break up the Labour/Plaid consensus in Cardiff Bay.”
• Cllr Francesca O’Brien says ‘business as usual’ after joining Reform UK
  Following her move to Reform UK, O’Brien told constituents she remained focused on local issues and her role as councillor, despite the political shift.
• Llanelli councillor clashes with Reform and Conservative figures over Nation of Sanctuary policy
  A Llanelli councillor criticised both Reform UK and Conservative representatives during a heated debate on Wales’ “Nation of Sanctuary” approach to asylum seekers.
• Reform win landslide victory in Llanelli by-election
  Reform UK’s Michelle Beer secured a decisive win in the Lleidi ward by-election, marking the party’s first Carmarthenshire County Council seat and continuing its recent electoral momentum.

#Christianity #CllrRobStewart #curriculum #featured #FrancescaOBrien #Islam #Mayhill #Muslim #RE #ReformUK #religion #ReligionValuesAndEthics #religiousEducation #RVE #SeaviewPrimarySchool #SwanseaCouncil #VoiceOfWales

Religious Education teachers might be the most important people 🤩

They're helping kids to explore, understand and examine worldviews and to shape their own.

I've been lucky to present to hundreds of them about the #Sentientism worldview in recent months at conferences and network events. Here's a recent recording.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/wmNHsGm3rFA

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-classroom-sentientism-230/id1540408008?i=1000715863637

#ReTeach #worldviews #sentientism #RVE #RWE #philosophy

Ein herzliches FuckYou-Dankeschön an den Busfahrer der #RVE, der heute (20.04.) um 11:16 keine 3 Minuten auf den RE aus Chemnitz warten konnte/wollte.

Jetzt stehen in Hohenstein Ernstthal 5 Fahrgäste die gerne umsteigen wollten. In 2 Stunden der nächste Bus? Leckt mich!

NV auf dem Dorf ist sowieso am Arsch. Aber wenn die Verantwortlichen dermaßen unflexibel sind, wundern die leeren Busse niemand mehr.

My new blog post looks at the Court of Appeal’s refusal of the permission to appeal in the challenge to Wales’ new Relationships and Sexuality Education. It also explores the implications for Religion, Values and Ethics which is similarly now mandatory: https://sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2023/06/08/end-of-litigation-over-wales-relationships-and-sexuality-education-code/

#wales #curriculum #curriculumforwales #relationshipsandsexualityeeducation #rae #religiousstudies #religionvaluesandethics #rve #law #courtofappeal

The High Court has dismissed the challenge against the Welsh Government’s reform of Relationships and Sexuality Education which removes the parental opt out: https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Isherwood-v-Welsh-Ministers-Judgment-221222.pdf

Much of interest here in relation to Religion, Values and Ethics too, on which see https://anthempress.com/religion-in-schools-learning-lessons-from-wales-pb

#education #schools #wales #sexeducation #welshgovernment #curriculum #school #rse #relationshipsandsexualityeducation #childrensrighta #optout #rve #religionvaluesandethics