To be able to understand their own beliefs and values, children need to learn about and respond to the beliefs and values of others. All SCE Schools provide religious education (RE) through which children learn about the main religions in the UK, particularly Christianity. Teachers aim to help children respect the beliefs and practices of others as well as discover more about their own.
In SCE Schools, the Headteacher is responsible for arranging religious education after consulting the School Governance Committee (SGC).
RE teaching follows the SCE Agreed Syllabus drawn up by the SCE Standing Advisory Committee for Religious Education (SACRE), which comprises padres, teachers, and parents. In common with Agreed Syllabuses in England and Wales, the SCE Agreed Syllabus reflects the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian whilst also including teaching about the other important religions represented there.
SCE Schools provide a daily act of collective worship - usually within a daily assembly. This is broadly of a Christian character. Because RE doesn't have a fixed national curriculum like other subjects, it doesn't have national targets either. But there are some suggested levels designed to help teachers decide where children stand.
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from religious education, collective worship or both. Information about arrangements for RE and collective worship and about parents’ rights of withdrawal will be found in each SCE School's prospectus.
Sex and relationship education
Sex and relationship education is lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional development. It is about the understanding of the importance of marriage for family life, stable and loving relationships, respect, love and care. It is also about the teaching of sex, sexuality and sexual health. Guidance on sex and relationship education has been published by the Department for Education and this guidance is followed by SCE Schools.
The School Governance Committees (SGCs) of SCE First and Primary Schools decide whether sex and relationship education should be included in their school's curriculum and, if so, what the educational provision should consist of and how it should be organised.
All SCE Secondary Schools (including the secondary element of middle schools) provide sex and relationship education (including education about HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases) and also teach human growth and reproduction as set out in the National Curriculum. All SCE SGCs have a written statement of the policy they adopt on sex education and this is freely available to parents. This statement is drawn up in consultation with the Headteacher who ensures that sex and relationship education is provided in a way that encourages pupils to consider morals and the value of family life.
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of any sex education provided, but not from the teaching of the biological aspects of human growth and reproduction necessary under National Curriculum science.
SCE Schools have a duty to ensure that pupils are protected from teaching and materials which are inappropriate, having regard to the age, religion and cultural background of the pupils concerned.
Drug education
To lead independent, happy lives, children need to develop their self-confidence. This involves taking responsibility for their own health and well-being. In this subject, children learn about these important life skills. They learn not only about their own rights, duties and responsibilities but also about the rights and responsibilities of others. Teaching aims to help them respect and value the richness and diversity of our society.
In the National Curriculum for science children learn that some drugs can be good for the body (medicines) and others harmful (prohibited drugs). At this age many schools use teaching about personal, social and health education and citizenship PHSE to help children think about treating others with consideration and resisting unwanted pressure - important foundations for later teaching about drugs education
All SCE Schools have a drug education programme which is developmental and appropriate to the age, maturity and ability of pupils. It might not be taught as a subject in its own right - it might be taught:
All SCE Schools have a drug policy which sets out the school’s role in relation to all drug matters – both the content and organisation of drug education and the management of drugs within school boundaries. Each school will have agreed a range of responses and procedures for managing drug incidents, which are understood by all members of the school community and are documented within the drug policy.