NSW public schools offer special religious education and special education in ethics, delivered by approved providers wherever available.
During enrolment, you can choose a special religious education option for your child from the school’s available approved providers. You can withdraw your child from special religious education by selecting alternative meaningful activities, or special education in ethics if it’s available.
You can update your preference by writing to the school or through the online form available at participating schools.
Visit the department’s website for more information about religion and ethics.
At Jerrabomberra Public School, religious instruction is offered for three weeks at the end of each term. This is due largely to the availability of registered teachers and their capability to service our large school numbers.
The groups offered are usually:
- Ecumenical (Anglican, Uniting, Baptist, Presbyterian)
- Catholic
- Baha'i
- and other registered religions as needs arise
Children will attend a class closest to the one indicated on their Special Religious Education Participation (SRE) Form for 40 minutes during the last weeks of term on either a Wednesday or Thursday.
Whilst we encourage all students to attend these lessons as they lead into our shared Easter and Christmas assemblies, students may be withdrawn or change SRE options with written permission from the parents. Parents will also need to inform the school if your child, who is withdrawn from Scripture, is to attend these assemblies as there is some religious content.
Students not attending a scripture class will be sent to a buddy class with class work as all teachers are on duty for these lessons providing supervision. Our visiting scripture teachers are all endorsed by their particular group and have police clearance for working with children.
Ethics may be offered in the school at the same time as religious instruction if there is a perceived need and there are parents who are willing to underake the training and be prepared to regularly present the lessons. The training is offered by an organisation in Sydney.
Our school's strong values system of Respect, Safety and Honesty are promoted in classroom lessons and in the playground to encourage ethical behaviour by all in the school.