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Chapter 11 Religious education and collective worship of guide for school governors

This chapter explains the duties of the Board of Governors in relation to the provision of religious education and collective worship in a grant-aided school.

In this chapter:

Role of the Board of Governors

The role of the Board of Governors is to ensure that there is provision for

  • religious education in the curriculum;
  • collective worship through school assemblies; and
  • pupils and teachers to be exempted from such provision;

in accordance with legal requirements.

Religious education

11.1. The Boards of Governors of all grant-aided schools have a statutory duty to ensure that provision is made for religious education in the curriculum. The programme for religious education must be in line with the core syllabus for religious education specified by DE, which can be accessed on the curriculum and assessment page of the DE website. Schools are then free to build upon this in a way that best suits the needs of their pupils and the ethos of the school.

11.2. The Board of Governors is responsible for ensuring that

  • in a controlled school, the programme of religious education is undenominational;
  • the core syllabus for religious education as specified by the Department of Education is taught in the school;
  • the school is accessible to pupils of all religious denominations for teaching in subjects other than religious education;
  • no pupils will be excluded directly or indirectly from the other advantages provided by the school;
  • pupils are partly or wholly excused from attendance at religious education if their parents make such a request;
  • there is no variation in payments from public funds in respect of a pupil because of his/her non-attendance at religious education;
  • Ministers of religion and other suitable persons, including teachers, to whom parents do not object, are given reasonable access at convenient times to pupils other than in nursery and special schools, to provide religious education according to the tenets of a particular religious denomination or otherwise;
  • Ministers of religion and other suitable persons, including teachers, to whom parents do not object, are given reasonable access at convenient times to pupils other than in nursery and special schools, to inspect and examine the religious education provided;
  • teachers who request part or whole exemption from teaching religious education, are granted it provided the request to the Board of Governors is made solely on the grounds of conscience; and
  • teachers who are so exempted by the Board of Governors, are not paid at a lesser rate or deprived of, or disqualified from, promotion or any other advantage because of this exemption.

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The inspection of religious education

11.3. When a school is being inspected, the inspectors will not inspect religious education except with the agreement of the Board of Governors of the school.

Collective worship

11.4. School Boards of Governors have a statutory duty to ensure that the school day includes collective worship through one or more pupil assemblies. At an assembly, the Board of Governors should make arrangements to ensure that

  • pupils are partly or wholly excused from attendance from acts of worship if their parents make such a request;
  • there is no variation in payments from public funds in respect of a pupil because of his/her non-attendance at collective worship;
  • teachers who request part or whole exemption from conducting or attending collective worship, are granted it provided the request to the Board of Governors is made solely on the grounds of conscience; and
  • teachers who are so exempted by the Board of Governors, are not paid at a lesser rate or deprived of, or disqualified from, promotion or any other advantage because of this exemption.

Complaints about religious education or collective worship

11.5. In the event of a complaint that the Board of Governors has acted or is proposing to act unreasonably with respect to the exercise of its powers or the performance of its duties relating to religious education or collective worship, the complaint will be considered by an Independent Complaints Tribunal. This tribunal will be established by the local education and library board.

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The law

Primary legislation

The Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1986 - Article 21
(religious education and collective worship in controlled and voluntary schools, other than nursery or special)

The Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1986 - Article 22
(duties of teachers in controlled schools as to religious education and collective worship)

Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1993 – Article 47
(complaints relating to religious education and collective worship)

Education (NI) Order 2006 – Article 11
(Core syllabus for religious education)

The Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 - Article 5(1)(a)
(religious education)

The Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 - Article 12
(the curriculum)

The Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 - Article 13
(core syllabus for religious education)

The Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 - Article 30(7)
(duties of Inspectors)

Guidance

Further information on religious education can be accessed on the Curriculum and Assessment page of the DE website at http://www.deni.gov.uk/index/80-curriculum-and-assessment/80-curriculum-and-assessment-religiouseducationcoresyllabus-pg.htm

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