RE (Values and Beliefs)

Religious Education is an entitlement for all pupils and its place in the school curriculum is an acknowledgement of the important role which beliefs and values play in people’s lives, regardless of particular religious commitments.

It is also an acknowledgement that religious beliefs and practices play a key part in the lives of many people worldwide today as they have done throughout history.  As a curriculum area, Religious Education offers pupils an opportunity to develop a better understanding of themselves, the people around them and the world in which they live.

St Peter and St Paul is a Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School. A close link with the church community is encouraged so pupils can see Christian life, worship and commitments at first hand and we make a point of marking the celebrations of the Christian year.

We recognise that our pupils come from a variety of religious and secular backgrounds and welcome this diversity. The Religious Education programme seeks to be sensitive to the home background of each child; it is not the function of religious education to promote or disparage particular religious views

Provision for withdrawal from Religious Education

Parents may ask for their child to be totally or partially withdrawn from Religious Education in accordance with the Education Act 1944, sections 25(4) and 30, which was re-enacted in 1988. Reasons for withdrawal do not have to be given and the school must enable parents to exercise this legal entitlement. There is no expectation that a parent should have a formal conversation with school leaders before their child can be withdrawn. Although parents have the legal right to withdraw their child from the RE curriculum, pupils may encounter learning about religious and non-religious world views in other curriculum areas from which a parent cannot withdraw their child. As such, the right to be withdrawn from RE does not extend to other areas of the curriculum where spontaneous questions may arise about religious matters.

Withdrawal from RE takes place during the school day and so pupils do not need to be at home. If a pupil is withdrawn, the school continues to have a duty of care to look after and supervise the pupil, but not to provide alternative education. If deemed necessary, the pupil can remain in the classroom but be given an alternative activity to undertake.