Assembly ideas
There are many websites offering ideas for Assemblies. Many provide ideas on how to present and celebrate different religions and beliefs. Many are Christian in outlook.
In this section, there are assembly ideas which provide the opportunity to raise issues of sectarianism and religious intolerance.
Anti-sectarian Assembly Plans
- Golden Rule (Secondary)
- Romeo and Juliet (Secondary)
- One Word, Many Consequences (P6 / P7 - Secondary)
- Breaking Down the Wall (P6 / P7 - Secondary)
- Food for Thought (Primary)
- We Can Do Good (Primary)
- Assembly idea from Carmyle Primary, Glasgow (Primary)
In addition, listed below are other websites providing assembly ideas - many have a religious basis, however, some deal with issues like drugs, bullying, April Fool's Day, Black History Month and come from a more secular approach.
Some assembly ideas can be amended to take forward the anti-sectarian message. Suggestions are welcome other anti-sectarian assembly ideas, please send to ceres@ed.ac.uk
Read the recommendations of Report of the Religious Observance Review Group and purposes of the curriculum 3-18 to provide a context for assemblies. The Scottish Council for Research in Education (SCRE) report on the consultation outcomes also provide useful information about attitudes to religious observance and assemblies.
NOTE: It is important to engage with young people as much as possible during assemblies. There is a danger that these examples are delivered as 'performances' which those watching and listening see as having no relevance to themselves or as inaccurate, outsiders’ accounts of their lives. Encourage interaction and input from the young people participating in the assemblies.
Websites offering Assembly Ideas
Lots of ideas in this site for primary and secondary. The assembly ideas are all from a Christian perspective but they include ideas drawing from a range of religions and festivals including some which are issue-based on bullying, celebrating difference and so on. The ideas can be adapted to take on a more interfaith or human rights approach. We adapted one of the ideas - see 'One Word Many Consequences'
The Hibbert Trust was established in 1847 through the bequest of Robert Hibbert, a Unitarian. The site offers interesting approaches to assemblies on a range of topics from The Martyrdom of the Sikh Guru Arjan in 1606 (27 May) to the assassination of Yitzak Rabin - some potential for pulling out issues of religious intolerance and seeing things from different perspectives, e.g. one person's traitor is someone else's hero.
This is an excellent site with lots of really good assembly ideas.