Queensland state schools embrace a multitude of cultural, religious and non-religious beliefs. Under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, schools are to provide Religious Instruction (RI) if approached by a faith group seeking to provide RI and students of that faith attend the school.
RI informs students about the beliefs and values of a particular religion. It is delivered by volunteers of a faith group using instructional materials approved by that faith group. RI is required to be consistent with legislation and Department of Education policies and procedures.
All RI instructors must hold a blue card and participate in compulsory Student Protection and Code of Conduct training. RI instructors are only entitled to deliver the RI program outlined below. A school staff member will be present during the delivery of RI.
Participation in RI is not compulsory. Any student (except Prep students) may participate in RI if a parent has provided written instructions to the school.
Students are allocated to RI based on information provided by parents on the completed Application for student enrolment unless other written instructions have been provided to the school.
Note: This consent remains in effect unless the parent informs the school otherwise in writing.
Combined Christian Religious Instruction
The aim of Christian RI is to provide students with an understanding of the basic beliefs of the Christian faith from a non-denominational perspective.
The providers of Christian RI use authorised program materials and resources and are committed to delivering high-quality programs that have been reviewed by independent curriculum experts. The GodSpace program is used across Years 1–6 at Parramatta SS.
Further information about GodSpace, including the lesson structure, can be found at https://godspace.org.au/
The independent review of GodSpace can be found at https://multifaithsri.org.au/programmaterialreviews
Participating faith groups: Local Christian churches come together to provide Christian RI on a cooperative and non-denominational basis. These churches may include Anglican, Australian Christian Churches, Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Brisbane Chinese Alliance, and Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.
Outline of Lesson Structure
Combined Christian RI may use a range of contemporary teaching methods, including storytelling, prayer, music, drama, craft, activity books, games, quizzes, video clips and puppet shows. Program resources are developed by professional educators and are designed to be age appropriate.
Lesson structure: 30-minute lesson, once per week.
Catholicism Religious Instruction
A variety of curricula may be used, approved by the local parish priest or bishop. These programs generally explore Catholic religious traditions and practices in greater detail, rather than providing general instruction on the Bible and basic Christian beliefs through a cooperative arrangement. Catholic belief is based on both Scripture and tradition.
Outline of Catholicism RI's Aims and Goals
The aim is to help students:
- understand that all people have a divine spirit within them and recognise God's presence in everyone
- develop a love for God with all their heart, mind and soul
- love their neighbours and show love, honour and respect towards themselves and others
- understand the importance of forgiveness and treating others as they would like to be treated
- become familiar with the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes
- learn about Catholic liturgical practices and religious services
- develop an understanding of basic Catholic beliefs and the fundamentals of Catholic religious doctrine
- become familiar with Scripture and the person of Jesus Christ
- learn about significant feast days associated with the liturgical seasons, including Easter and Christmas
- develop an awareness and appreciation of the Sacraments and prayers of the Catholic Church
Students are invited to participate in the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Confirmation.
Outline of Lesson Structure
Catholicism RI lessons focus on the person of Jesus Christ and biblical teachings. Lessons may include Bible stories and parables, drama, music, craft and prayer.
Lesson structure: 30-minute lesson, once per week.