Curriculum and worship
The curriculum comprises ‘all learning and other experiences which the school provides for its pupils’ (DfES Guide to the Law for School Governors). In Catholic schools, particular importance is attached to the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the wider curriculum, including worship, religious education and personal and social education or education in personal relationships.
Education in Personal Relationships (EPR)
It is firmly established good practice that ‘Education in Personal Relationships’ (EPR) should run through the curriculum in a Catholic school. Specific programmes may also be run either under this name, or as ‘Personal, Health and Social Education’ (PHSE). This part of the curriculum will usually include most elements of the school’s sex education, drug education and citizenship programmes.
The governors of primary schools must decide whether sex education will be taught and keep a record of their decision. However, all diocesan primary schools would be expected to have a taught programme of sex education. All schools with sex education programmes must have a policy statement which is available for parents. Secondary schools are obliged to provide sex education. Also, human growth and reproduction are a compulsory part of the national curriculum, as are some aspects of drug education. The governors’ policy on sex education should form part of a wider policy on EPR, which will also deal with wider issues such the development of a positive self-image, friendship and belonging to a community.
The National Curriculum Orders for science set out the scientific elements of sex education to be taught in schools. In Catholic schools, the RE curriculum should complement the scientific aspect with a more holistic approach to personal relationships in their widest sense. Programmes should be set in the context of Catholic teaching on (1) the value of the human person, (2) growth towards personal freedom and identity, (3) development of sexuality, and (4) the importance of marriage and family life. The governors’ policy on sex education should carefully set out how the overall coordination of curriculum elements is to be achieved and how delivery is to be monitored and evaluated.
In secondary schools, governors should be satisfied that difficult topics such as teenage pregnancy, abortion, contraception, homosexuality and HIV/Aids are covered both sensitively and effectively. Governors have a crucial role in being open to the sometimes conflicting expectations of parents and children, whilst upholding fully the values and teaching of the Catholic Church.
Heads and governors have a statutory responsibility to ensure that young people are taught the importance of marriage and that they are protected from inappropriate teaching materials (DfES Guidance on Sex Education July 2000). Parents may withdraw their children from sex education. However, as Catholic schools teach it within the context of education for personal relationships and Christian values, no Catholic parent should need to exercise this option. All parents should be made aware of the nature of the provision for EPR, RE and worship when they consider applying for places at the school.
The Catholic Education Service (CES) has produced a number of documents to guide planning and delivery of these crucial areas of learning in a Catholic school. The CES strongly promotes a holistic and integrated approach throughout the school and emphasises the importance of communicating with parents on the nature of the programme and their part in it. Useful documents that may be ordered directly from the CES include ‘Spiritual and Moral Development Across the Curriculum’, ‘Education for Love: Some Reflections’ and ‘Education in Sexuality’.
The Schools Service provides support and training for school teachers in this area of the curriculum. The diocesan programme for EPR in primary schools addresses all the key areas of a PSHE curriculum and Citizenship. The recommended approach is to teach EPR largely through the school’s ‘Here I Am’ religious education programme. It will also link with other key areas of the curriculum such as science and literacy. Some aspects of EPR may also be delivered through discrete modules of work.
Liturgy and Worship
All maintained schools must provide a daily act of collective worship for all pupils, including those in post 16 courses. This provision is normally based in class groups or in larger assemblies such as year groups. It need not be ‘whole school’. Worship must be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character. Its precise nature will reflect the religious character of the Catholic school.
‘Sacrosanctum Concilium’ speaks of Liturgy as being ‘the source and summit of the Church’s life and our life’. It follows that liturgy and worship must have a central place in the life of our Catholic schools. In carrying out their responsibility to maintain and uphold the school’s distinctive Catholic character, governors will wish to ensure that the central place of liturgy and worship is clearly evident. It is to be expected that in our Catholic schools worship will be seen to enhance the religious education and the spiritual and moral development of the pupils. The school’s mission statement should make particular mention of the place of liturgy and worship.
Pupils will experience liturgy in a variety of ways and pupils will be encouraged to become actively involved in its preparation as well as through participation. Liturgy may well form an element of some religious education lessons, particularly in the ‘Rejoice’ section of the ‘Here I Am’ programme.
Worship, whether for the whole school or for age groups or classes, will be carefully planned and delivered. Schools will endeavour to make the experience of worship lively and enriching for the whole school community. Support for the planning of liturgy and worship is available from the Schools Service. Further guidance is also available from the diocesan priest adviser on liturgy, who can be contacted through the Schools Service.
Religious Education (RE)
All maintained schools must provide religious education for all of their pupils, including those on post 16 courses. In this context, religious education (RE) is a taught programme, which does not include other activities such as worship and prayer. In schools without a religious character, a local committee (SACRE) sets the agreed syllabus for RE. In Catholic schools, the syllabus and provision follow the directions issued by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. These directions are laid out in the Statement from the Low Week Meeting in 2000. The Bishops reaffirmed their requirement and expectation that 10% of the length of the taught week for each key stage of education be devoted to RE.
It is diocesan policy that primary schools should fulfil the Bishops’ requirements by the use of the ‘Here I Am’ religious education programme. (In primary schools, the subject is usually referred to as religious education rather than RE). Schools should follow the programme guidelines, including those for the teaching of world faiths and for the assessment of pupils’ learning. Planning sheets and assessment information are provided for each term.
In primary schools, all staff should be involved in the process of defining the policy for religious education. It should make reference to the school mission statement and should provide guidance on the management, teaching and learning of the subject. Guidelines on writing the policy are available from the Schools Service. The role of religious education coordinator should be allocated to post with responsibility for management of the subject, working in close cooperation with the headteacher, named governor and parish priest.
In secondary schools, the religious education (RE) curriculum at Key Stage 3 is determined by the ‘Curriculum Directory’ approved by the Bishops’ Conference. All schemes of work should reflect the broad areas set out in the Directory. Schools are free to use as resources the national schemes such as ‘Icons’. Alternatively, schools may choose to develop their own schemes of work. All schemes of work need to be adapted to the particular situation of the school and the learning needs of the students. At Key Stage 4, the school’s choice of syllabus and examination should reflect the Catholic nature of school and the needs of the students. All students in the post-16 phase should have regular RE lessons and a formal programme of study.
The governing body should regularly monitor the content of RE at all key stages and ensure proper allocation of time, resources and accommodation for the subject. The governors should receive annual reports on the progress made on implementing the recommendations relating to RE of the Section 48 inspection report. Reference should be made to the school’s post-inspection action plan.
Advisory Support for Religious Education
There are three part time religious education advisers in the Schools Service, one for secondary schools and two for primary schools. They ensure that all relevant material is made available and that the benefits of new initiatives are passed on to schools. Advisers may normally be contacted directly at the office on Fridays (01293 511130 or schools@dabnet.org). Regular training courses are provided for newly qualified teachers, coordinators, aspiring heads and deputies, governors and others involved with religious education in schools. A full programme is publicised each year. All maintained schools and all independent school subscribers are entitled to a full day of individual support from an adviser. This may take the form of training, in or away from the school, on a theme to suit specific needs. It can also take the form of input to staff meetings, management support for coordinators, an audit of teaching and learning, help with school self evaluation or preparation for a section 48 inspection.
