While you are legally allowed to opt your child out of religion classes, does this right extend to anything outside of the 30 minute religion class every day? What if the school are going to the church for a visit or for a service? Does the school have to contact you to let you know? Can the school bring your child without telling you?
The simple answer is that they can bring your child to the church without your permission unless, of course, something else has been arranged. While a school is obligated to respect your right to opt your child out of religion classes, they are not obligated to accommodate anything else. For example, even if your kid doesn’t take part in the RE class, the school doesn’t have to give your child anything else to do. In fact, they can simply tell him/her to sit there and do nothing.
When it comes to church, it’s the same. This is why it’s important to ask your school how they accommodate your opted out child. Most schools have very little experience of dealing with opted out kids and many of them can’t understand why you would opt out of something as “harmless” as primary school religion. (Sure, what harm is it? 😫)
