Pobalscoil Iosolde

Draft
Religious Education Policy
Pobalscoil Iosolde

Religious Education in Pobalscoil Iosolde is an integral part of the school curriculum. The school believes that it plays an essential role in the holistic development of each student and allows them to reach their full potential. This sentiment is in agreement with the school Mission Statement which states:

Our mission is to provide an inclusive learning environment, happy, safe and secure which would enable students to grow intellectually, morally, spiritually, socially, physically, emotionally, culturally, aesthetically.
In partnership with parents and the wider community, we are committed to the provision of quality teaching and learning which promotes respect for the individual, others and the environment, a love of learning and a healthy work ethic, an ability to think independently, a commitment to life long learning, an understanding of and a respect for diversity.
By adopting this holistic approach to education, we seek to enable our students to reach their potential.

Students in Palmerstown Community School study the Junior Certificate Religious Education Examination Syllabus while Leaving Certificate students use an adapted form of the curriculum framework for senior-cycle Religious Education. Students who are pursuing the Leaving Certificate Applied course follow the Leaving Certificate Applied Religious Education Syllabus.

Table of Contents

1. Rationale
2. Aims of Religious Education
3. Curriculum
4. Homework Policy
5. Budget
6. Religious Education/Religious Worship
7. Staffing
8. Resources
9. Chaplain
10. Liturgy
11. Outreach activities/ Programmes.
12. Pastoral Programmes
13. Faith Development/Retreats
14. Inclusion/Special Needs
15. Parents
16. Parish/diocese
17. Fundraising
18. In-Service
19. Roles and Responsibilities

1. Rationale
Pobalscoil Iosolde is a Community School which is multi- denominational as per the deeds of Trust of Community Schools in the Archdiocese of Dublin. Like all recognised schools, it is required to promote the moral, spiritual, social and personal development of students…in consultation with their parents, having regard for the characteristic spirit of the school." Education Act 1998. 9, (d). The school therefore seeks to provide Religious education and worship in accordance with the rites, practice and teaching ethos of the religious denomination to which a pupil belongs. (11.2) Deeds of Trust. The Principal shall be immediately responsible for all the religious worship conducted and for the religious instruction given at the School and for the attendance of pupils thereat. (11:4, Deeds of Trust).

2. Aims of Religious Education in Pobalscoil Iosolde
1. To facilitate an atmosphere that promotes a genuine search for meaning and truth in the lives of students and to acknowledge the faith response that may result as a consequence of this search.
2. To contribute to the moral, religious and spiritual development of our students.
3. To provide opportunities for students to deepen their sacramental and liturgical awareness.
4. To encourage our students to ask and seek answers to important life questions.
5. To promote an understanding and acceptance of people of different religious traditions and none.
6.To identify how an understanding of God, religious tradition and in particular, the Christian tradition, have contributed to the culture in which we live and continue to have an impact on personal lifestyle, inter-personal relationships and relationships between individuals and their communities and contexts.
7. To promote an awareness of and a positive involvement with the marginalised in our society.

3. Curriculum
As per the Deeds of Trust of Community Schools all religion class are mandated with three periods a week.(11.2)

Junior Cycle
Students in the Junior cycle follow the Junior Certificate Education Syllabus which acknowledges:
1. The search for meaning is common to all people.
2. This search can be found in Religion
3. The contribution made by religion to culture; especially Christianity.
4. Richness of religious tradition and non-religious view of life
5. The contribution to the spiritual/ moral development of students

The course invites students to encounter and engage with religious traditions in Ireland and elsewhere while encouraging and supporting them in reflecting on their own experience and commitment to a particular religious tradition and/or search for meaning. It also envisages helping students within a spirit of respect for the values of all, to dialogue with the Christian traditions in Ireland and its denominational expressions, acknowledging the unique role of Christianity in Irish life and culture (JCRES p.4).

There are six sections in the syllabus:

Section A Communities of Faith
Section B Foundations of Religion: Christianity
Section C Foundations of Religion; Major World Religions
Section D The Question of Faith
Section E The Celebration of Faith
Section F The Moral Challenge

The textbook used for the Junior Cycle is The Religion for Living Series by Connie Duffy.
Assessment is through in-house exams, a religion journal and the Junior Certificate exam.

Senior Cycle
Transition Year
The aim of Transition Year Religious Education is to twofold. Firstly, to broaden the religious knowledge base of the students. Secondly, to develop an appreciation of their own and others beliefs; grounding these beliefs in their everyday experiences. Lastly, to deepen their critical faculties and to open students to new experiences and alternative ways of looking at the world.

The modules that are covered in Transition Year include:

1. World Religions
2. AIDS
3. Social Inclusion Project
4. Meditation/ Prayer
5. Issues of Justice and Peace

There is no textbook for Transition Year religion
Assessment is through in-house exams and project work.

Leaving Certificate Applied Religious Education
The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) Religious Education programme is based on the LCA Religious Education Syllabus. It is heavily influenced by the LCA philosophy of providing a practical and grounded educational approach for students which connects them with their own experiences. A cross curricular approach is taken to enhance their experiences.
The syllabus aims to encourage personal growth and spiritual development. It invites students to examine religious stories and where appropriate, their own religious story; valuing their place within it. It facilitates moral development through the application of a process of moral decision making.

There are four modules in the course:

1. Looking In
2. Our Religious Story
3. A living Faith
4. World Religions

There is no textbook and assessment is through key assignments which contribute to the Leaving Certificate Applied credit system.

Leaving Certificate Religious Education; Curriculum Framework

Religious Education at Senior Level is not an examination subject. Instead, the curriculum content of RE is the adaptation of the curriculum framework for Senior-Cycle Religious Education. The framework recognises the variety of religious social and school contexts that exist in Ireland today. It acknowledges the role of Religious Education in contributing to the spiritual and moral development of students of all faiths and none.

It consists of eight sections.

1. The search for meaning
2. Christianity
3. Religious Faiths in Ireland
4. Morality in action
5. God Talk
6. Living Faith-Doing Justice
7. Celebrating Faith
8. Story

The text books used are The Inner Place and Into The Deep both by Tom Gunning.
Assessment is through in-house exams.

4. Homework Policy
The RE department recognises the educational value of homework for consolidation of learning and in accordance with the school homework policy.

5. Budget
There is no specific budget for RE but reasonable requests for resourcing are always granted by the school.

6. Religious Instruction and Religious Worship
Under the deed of trust, the Principal is given responsibility for the provision of Religious Instruction and the conducting of Religious Worship. On enrolling for Palmerstown Community School, parents indicate the enrolee's religion. All pupils specified as "Roman Catholic" are required to attend Religious Education classes of two hours per week (three classes) from First Year to Sixth Year. Students who are of a different faith than Roman Catholic have a right to Religious Instruction in their own religion. This will be facilitated by the school Principal.
Pupils seeking exemption from attendance at Religious Education class should be referred to the Principal and must agree to the following conditions:

1. Meeting of Parent and student with the Principal
2. A letter from the Parent/Guardian giving permission for the child to be exempt from religious education/worship.
3. The student must leave the school grounds for the duration of the RE class and be in the supervision of a parent/Guardian for the duration of the class.

7. Staffing
We consider RE to be such an integral part of our school ethos that it is important to be given the status it deserves. We therefore strive at all times for RE to be taught by teachers who are qualified and competent to teach RE. One of the RE team will act as co-ordinator of RE and they will liaise with the Principal on all major matters relating to religious education. The RE Co-ordinator will chair subject meetings and take responsibility for all matters relating to RE.

8. Resources
The need for resources is an integral part of RE and to this effect the RE department has a resource bank and a video library which is located in the Chaplain's office There is also a designated Sacred space/Prayer room which is used for liturgical/meditation and pastoral purposes.

9. The Chaplain/ Co-ordinator of Chaplaincy Services
The School Chaplain/Co-ordinator of Chaplaincy services is the faith presence in the school community who is available to all students and staff. The Chaplain's non-disciplinary role in the school enables him to develop a relationship of trust with students, staff and parents.
The Chaplain/ Co-ordinator of Chaplaincy services is committed to the teaching and values of Christ, acting on behalf of the Church and the school community and accompanying each student on their journey through life.
The Chaplain/Coordinator will be a professionally qualified person with responsibility for the co-ordination of specified activities associated with the Catholic faith/meaning journey of students in collaboration with others who also have designated pastoral responsibilities in the school community.
He/she will be a full-time member of staff and as such participate fully in all activities which relate to the well being and development of the school i.e. critical incident plan. A significant role of the Chaplain/Co-0rdinator will be to ensure that the characteristic spirit of the school as expressed in the school's mission statement, finds practical expression in faith formation as well as pastoral, liturgical and outreach activities.
The Chaplain/Co-ordinator will be required to act collaboratively with all members of the school community and in particular with those who hold designated pastoral responsibilities relating to students, staff and members of the wider community connected with the school. Given the complex nature of the role and the inevitable overlap involved, the Chaplain/Co-ordinator will work within agreed structural arrangements as outlined by the Principal/Acting Principal. He/she will be accountable to the Principal.
The Chaplain/Co-ordinator will exercise his/her role through:

1. Personal contact with individual students.
2. Class contact.
3. Provision of liturgical/para-liturgical functions.
4. Maintaining a lively interest in recreational, cultural and outreach activities.

10. Liturgy
Liturgies and Para-liturgies are in integral aspect of school life and generally follow the Christian liturgical seasons. Liturgies are specifically tailored to the school setting and the experiences of the students. The liturgies include:
1. Opening of Year Prayer Services.
2. Intercom Reflection.
3. November Remembrance liturgies/Mass
4. Advent Liturgies
5. Sacrament of Reconciliation
6. Lenten and Easter Liturgies/Mass and distribution of Ashes
7. Graduation Mass and Mass for Junior Certificate students

11. Outreach Activities/Programmes
Palmerstown Community school strongly promotes outreach activities by the pupils to benefit the needs of the locality, address justice and peace issues, promote ventures to aid third world development, encourage concern for the environment and facilitate faith development e.g. Transition Year Faith Friends programme.

12. Pastoral Programmes
Palmerstown Community School is committed to the holistic development of each student and supports all pastoral programme initiatives that attain this end. Examples of these programmes include:
1. The Buddy programme (1st Year)
2. The International Buddy Programme (1st Year)
3. Anger Management Programme. (All year Groups)
4. Baby think it over Programme (4th Years)
5. Stress Management Programme (5th & 6th Years)
6. Mediation Programme (4th Years)
7. Faith Friends (4th Years)

13. Faith Development/ Retreats
Palmerstown Community School encourages students to develop their own faith through the many pastoral/liturgical/curriculum initiatives of the RE/ Chaplaincy Dept. i.e. Meditation/Faith Friends/Confession.
One initiative the school is very committed to are the school retreats. These one day retreats are available to First Years, Transition Years and Sixth Years and are provided free of charge

14. Inclusion and Special Needs
As a multi-denominational school we welcome all faiths in to our school and encourage them to participate as fully as they can in the religious, social and cultural life of the school. To this effect, the RE department assists in the organisation of inter-cultural week and in the International buddy system. The RE department also recognises the various learning abilities of students and uses appropriate teaching strategies.

15. Parents
Parents are informed of the aims objectives and the content of the Religious Education programmes by means of the school Open Day and Parent Teacher meetings.
Annual parent-teacher meetings are held for all year groups. Open evenings and information sessions are held for parents of incoming First Year students about the RE and Chaplaincy department.

16. Parish-Diocese
Pobalscoil Iosolde maintains a strong link with the local parish of Palmerstown. The local clergy regularly assist in school liturgies mass and confession.

17. Fundraising
There is a strong tradition of fundraising in the school for charitable organisations. Various activities are organised throughout the year to raise money. These activities include carol singing, non-uniform days, soccer blitz, and Lenten fast.

18. In-Service
Teachers are facilitated by the Principal to attend meetings with the Diocesan advisor. Provision is also made for all RE Teachers to attend relevant in-service training relating to Junior and Senior Cycle Religion Programmes.

19. Roles and Responsibilities
The development of the Religious Education Policy was undertaken by the RE/Chaplaincy team with initial consultation with the Dublin diocesan advisor, Board of Management, senior management, staff and the PTA. The monitoring and revising of the RE policy will be carried out by the Board of Management.