Toil and trouble confirmed: the demise of Hallowe’en in English primary schools

Abstract

The claim that Hallowe’en has been eliminated from English primary schools is tested through empirical research in south‐east England. The reasons given by teachers for their inclusion or non‐inclusion of the subject are then explored. Finally, questions are raised about the implications of the findings for children’s ongoing personal development, and proposals offered on how schools should respond.

Keywords:

• Curriculum
• Children's personal development
• Controversial topics
• Hallowe'en
• Festivals
• Teaching about mystery

Notes

1. Likert‐scale questionnaire items require respondents to score their responses to statements according to a scale of strongly agree to strongly disagree or similar wording.

2. I have used the term ‘frightening‐mysterious’ to describe those elements of experience that are both frightening and mysterious. Some unexplained phenomena, for example experiences of telepathy, might be experienced as delightfully fascinating. Other experiences may incite fear or horror. Under this latter category we might put spooks, ghosts, witches, etc. The term ‘frightening‐mysterious’ resonates with Otto’s (1923) mysterium tremendum, the feeling evoked by an awareness of the presence of the numinous. Otto describes this feeling as a horror or shuddering, an intoxicated frenzy, a feeling of ecstasy, or a hushed, speechless humility (1923, pp. 13–30). However, the term ‘frightening‐mysterious’ doesn’t refer to the feelings, but to the objects of the feelings, what Otto calls the numinous. Furthermore, whereas Otto is describing the numen, a supernatural and divine power, the focus of my attention is much broader, and includes aspects of human experience which would not normally be regarded as having a divine origin, but which nevertheless might be both frightening and mysterious.