A PARENT has branded a school’s decision not to allow her children to take part in a nativity play as “ridiculous” and believes it was taken so that other religions are not offended.

Abi Weston, 35, from Hove, who has two children at West Blatchington Primary School in Hove, has hit out at the decision which will see older pupils not taking part in the tradition.

Both her children are very upset over not getting the opportunity to perform this year and said: “I think it’s such a shame that we live in a Christian country and yet do not celebrate this festival in the way it should.

“I myself am not religious but still value this tradition.

“Personally I think it’s terrible my children cannot take part in a nativity.”

“Reading between the lines I think the reason they do not do it is because they do not want to offend the other religions.

“It’s ridiculous and a real shame.”

Headteacher Rachel Simmonds rubbished claims the decision was made to not offend people from other religions and said it was in keeping with the vast majority of other schools in the city.

She said: “No, it’s nothing like that [not offending other religions].

“The reception and nursery pupils will perform a nativity, and they’ll be doing it again next year, and the other older students will be taking part in a special performance.

“Reception have always done nativity, so nothing has changed in 15 years – that’s what they have always done.

“The older students will take part in a performance of a collection of different songs and the vast majority of other schools do exactly the same.

“We embrace Christmas.”

Ms Simmonds won headteacher of the year at the Youth in Action Education Awards this summer and her school also picked up the gong for school of the year.

Other schools admitted that in the name of diversity they choose less traditional Christmas plays.

Lewes New School primary never do a nativity, and the reception class of Coldean Primary in Brighton will be performing “The Grumpy Sheep”, which is a retelling of the nativity story from the point of view of one of the shepherd’s sheep, with less emphasis on the the more overt religious elements.

Cassie Palmer, head of the school, said: “It tells the story of the nativity but in a way which doesn’t exclude anyone.”

AN IMPORTANT TRADITION FOR ALL CHILDREN - opinion by mother-of-three Katy Rice

WHAT is a Nativity play? It is a version of the Gospel stories of Jesus Christ, usually performed by children at school at Christmas.

These sweet and touching performances that many parents cherish as one of their key memories of their children’s childhood are not just a tradition in this country.

They obviously hold a religious significance for Christians but they also represent a link between generations.

Watching their little ones enjoy dressing up as Mary or Joseph or a donkey reminds parents of their own childhood experience in a school Nativity play and the same holds true for doting grandparents in the audience.

They are also an important part of a child’s education, not just teaching them about Jesus and his birth and life but also teaching them what Christmas actually is – a celebration of his birth.  Religious education in schools used to focus on Christianity, at least it did when I was at school in the 1970s and 1980s, and now it must also cover the many other faiths, including non-religious beliefs, followed in this country.

So the teaching of Christianity has become diluted, even while Christmas remains the biggest event in the UK calendar, Christianity remains the main religion of this country and its principles continue to form the backbone of our society.

It’s vital that school Nativity plays bring us back down to earth and remind us of the true meaning of Christmas, whether we are Christians, lapsed Christians or of another faith altogether.  It is important for everyone in this country, whatever their faith, culture or background, to learn about Christianity and understand it because it is what has made this country what it is today, whether you like it or not.

It forms the basis of our ideal family values, what’s right and what’s wrong, marriage, the law and much more. It has a huge role in how we run our lives, our society, our Government and our system of law.

This is changing because of the country’s multiculturalism, which has brought with it a greater emphasis on other faiths and cultures. But it’s wrong that under the banner of multiculturalism we allow our own dominant culture and faith to be diminished. And ironically it is often not people of other faiths in this country who are “offended” by Christians practising their faith – it’s usually that strange group of non-religious zealots who take it upon themselves to become offended on behalf of a minority group.

So we end up with non-religious versions of Christmas, such as Birmingham’s notorious Winterval and Dundee’s Winter Night Light Festival. If Christmas is so objectionable to those authorities, why have any celebration at all?

Advocates of multiculturalism stress the importance of acceptance – a key Christian principle, funnily enough – but only one way. Our society must accept and promote other faiths and cultures, they demand, while at the same time sidelining Christianity, edging it out of mainstream life and even discrediting it.

This is the very opposite of acceptance and tolerance. Yes, there is room for other faiths and cultures in Britain today but not at the expense of Christianity. Christmas, despite its ever-increasing commercialism, remains a Christian celebration and the school Nativity is an important part of that.

There's no reason children of other faiths should not join in as part of their education – after all, school visits to synagogues and mosques form a part of religious education classes. in both primary and secondary education.

No religion should be offensive to anyone outside the faith, unless taken to an extreme. And I hardly think a school nativity play falls into that category.