CatholiC Primary SChoolS in a Changing ireland Sharing good PraCtiCe on inCluSion of all PuPilS

Catholic Schools Partnership

Catholic Primary Schools in a Changing Ireland Sharing Good Practice on Inclusion of All Pupils

Published 2015 byCatholic Schools Partnership

Columba CentremaynoothCo. Kildare

email office@catholicschools.ie Website www.catholicschools.ie

iSBn 978 1 94730 601 2

Catholic Primary Schools in a Changing Ireland: Sharing Good Practice on Inclusion of All Pupilsmay be used for purposes consistent with the support and improvement of Catholic schools.

it may not be sold for profit by any person or institution. the content contained herein may not be altered, edited or amended.

any reproduction or use must include acknowledgement of the Catholic Schools Partnership.

Photos: cover, pp. 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 20, 26 © Phil mullally; pp. 10, 14, 22, 25, 28, 30 © thinkstockphotos.com.

Contents

introduction ..........................................................................................................................................7

Part 1: fundamental Principles ............................................................................................................11

1.1 a Vision for Catholic Schools....................................................................................................11

1.2 the irish Constitution ..............................................................................................................12

1.3 Parental rights ..........................................................................................................................12

1.4 State regulation........................................................................................................................13

1.5 the Second Vatican Council ....................................................................................................13

1.6 the Characteristic Spirit of a Catholic School ......................................................................15

1.7 diversity Within a School ........................................................................................................15

1.8 religious education..................................................................................................................16

1.9 educating to intercultural dialogue ......................................................................................20

Part 2: developing and Sharing good Practice ................................................................................23

2.1 admissions Policy and mission Statement............................................................................23

2.2 inclusion in religious education............................................................................................23

2.3 management of ‘opt out’ from religious education ..........................................................26

2.4 Sacramental Preparation ........................................................................................................27

2.5 intercultural dialogue – Some Suggestions ........................................................................27

2.5.1 the dialogue of life ........................................................................................................28

2.5.2 the dialogue of Works ..................................................................................................29

2.5.3 the dialogue of religious experience ..........................................................................29

2.6 reflecting on good Practice ..................................................................................................29

Conclusion............................................................................................................................................31

a large percentage of primary schools in therepublic of ireland (89%) are under the patronageof the Catholic Church. this means that the ethosor characteristic spirit of the school is informedby the teachings and traditions of the Catholicfaith. Catholic schools are caring and inclusivecommunities precisely because they are Catholic.they have adapted to demographic change withsignificant recent net migration into ireland andmany of them have led the way in integratingmigrants into local communities. they have beenleaders in areas such as social inclusion, specialneeds and traveller education. an eSri study1

found that non-Catholic schools have asignificantly higher proportion of children fromprofessional, managerial and technicalbackgrounds and that 80% of parents with thetop incomes send their children to these schools.2

in contrast, children in Catholic schools comefrom just 20% of the top income families. thereport also found a significantly higher number ofchildren with learning difficulties and disabilities

in Catholic schools than in other school types.3

With regard to traveller education the reportstates:

most multi-denominational schools did nothave any traveller pupils. Catholic schoolswere more likely to have greater numbers oftraveller pupils compared to minority faithschools.4

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1 eSri and educate together, School Sector Variation Among Primary Schools in Ireland (2012).2 School Sector Variation Among Primary Schools in Ireland, pp. 35–6. top income refers to those in the 20% highest incomebracket. 3 School Sector Variation Among Primary Schools in Ireland, pp. 41–3. 4 School Sector Variation Among Primary Schools in Ireland, p. 41.

Introduction

Catholic schools have adapted todemographic change withsignificant recent net migrationinto Ireland and many of them haveled the way in integrating migrantsinto local communities. They havebeen leaders in areas such as socialinclusion, special needs andTraveller education.

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it is clear then that one of the great strengths ofthe Catholic primary school system is its socialinclusion so that in most parts of the countrychildren from various social strata attend thesame school together.

the census of population (2011) found that 84%of the population self-identify as Catholic.5 in2002 the figure was 88%. there is substantialregional variation in the numbers of Catholics,from 77% in the four dublin local authorities6

and galway city, to 82% in Cork City andsomewhere between 84% and 90%7 in the rest ofthe country.

over the past decade there has been a notablechange in the profile of those attending Catholic

schools in ireland. irish-born Catholics have beenjoined by children from other backgrounds. theseinclude other Catholic pupils whose parents havemigrated into ireland. there is also a significantminority of children from other faiths and thosewhose parents profess no religious faith. manyCatholic schools have been enriched as they haveadapted to serve such a broad spectrum of pupils.

the rapidity of social and demographic change inireland naturally gives rise to certain tensions andnew questions. these include issues relating tothe inclusion of all pupils in denominationalschools. the irish human rights Commission8

and the final report of the forum on Patronageand Pluralism in the Primary Sector9 have bothasked that this issue be addressed. in response,the department of education and Skills launcheda consultation process on inclusiveness inprimary schools in September 2013. the report onthis consultation was published in July 2014.10 thereport emphasises that it ‘does not set out to beprescriptive and recognises that each school has

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5 Central Statistics office, Census 2011 (government Publications: dublin, 2012), available online athttp://www.cso.ie/en/census/census2011reports/. 6 dublin City, dún laoghaire-rathdown, fingal and South County dublin.7 mayo has the largest proportion of Catholics at 90%. 8 irish human rights Commission (ihrC), Religion and Education: A Human Rights Perspective (2011), available online athttp://www.ihrc.ie/publications/list/religion-andeducation-a-human-rights-perspective.9 John Coolahan, Caroline hussey and fionnuala Kilfeather, The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Report ofthe Forum’s Advisory Group (2012), available online at www.education.ie.10 department of education and Skills, Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Progress to Date and FutureDirections (2014), available online at www.education.ie.

One of the great strengths of theCatholic primary school system isits social inclusion.‘

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its own ethos and operates in a particularcontext’.11 it notes that there is no one size thatfits all when it comes to best practices concerningthe inclusion of pupils in schools, as sufficientflexibility must be allowed for schools working indifferent contexts.12 it identifies principles thatcurrently inform best practice in schools that aredealing with these issues for many years. theseprinciples include:

• good communication• Clarity on rights and responsibilities• good relationships between the various

parties• openness to dialogue and compromise• flexibility.13

finally, the report encourages all schools todevelop policies that will foster best practice withregard to the inclusion of all pupils, and to useself-evaluation processes to review and updatethese policies.14

this booklet is a resource for Catholic schools indeveloping such policies and in sharing bestpractice. it is published in response to the forumreport and to the recent Forum on Patronage andPluralism in the Primary Sector: Progress to Dateand Future Directions issued by the department ofeducation and Skills

in Part i of this paper there is an analysis offoundational issues, including a vision of what aCatholic primary school strives to be, while Part iidetails good practice with regard to the educationof all pupils in Catholic primary schools. it shouldbe emphasised that this document does notpurport to provide a full understanding ofCatholic schooling. rather the focus is preciselyon the holistic education of non-Catholic pupilsin Catholic primary schools.

the development of this booklet has been a workof partnership over two years involving parents,pupils, teachers, principals and boards ofmanagement. it draws on the wisdom, experienceand expertise of many people involved in andcommitted to Catholic schools. in particular, adebt of gratitude is owed to a working groupwhich included fr michael drumm, Chairpersonof the CSP; ms elaine mahon, manager ofCatechetical Publications, Veritas; mr Seánhourihane, Principal of Scoil Áine naofa, lucan,Co. dublin; fr michael mcgrath, diocesan adviserfor religious education, diocese of ardagh andClonmacnois; and mr Joe Searson, diocesanadviser for religious education, diocese ofKillaloe.

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11 Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Progress to Date and Future Directions, p. 4.12 Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Progress to Date and Future Directions, p. 5.13 Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Progress to Date and Future Directions, p. 19.14 Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Progress to Date and Future Directions, pp. 22–8.

• Good communication• Clarity on rights and

responsibilities• Good relationships between

the various parties• Openness to dialogue and

compromise• Flexibility.

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1.1 A Vision for Catholic Schoolsthe Catholic Schools Partnership has articulatedthe following vision for Catholic schools:

Catholic schools in Ireland are a livingexpression of a long and varied tradition ofeducation inspired by the life of Christ as livedin the Church. Such schools emphasise thedignity of the human person as a child of Godcalled to work with other persons in creatingan inclusive community in service of thecommon good; where knowledge is soughtand respected while faith is nurtured andchallenged.

one can expand on this vision as follows:

… in Ireland …• there are about 2,900 Catholic primary

schools in the republic of ireland• parents are the most important educators of

their children• many Catholic primary schools are rooted in

parish communities where they form a criticalelement in local life and foster a sense ofshared responsibility for the educationalenterprise

• home, school and parish work together insupport of Catholic education

… a long and varied tradition …• witnessing to the centrality of the gospel• teaching and learning for more than 1,500

years • expressed in different ways depending on the

socio-economic context, not least through theleadership and energy of religiouscongregations

• changing in the late twentieth and earlytwenty-first century as lay leadership emergesin the Church to work alongside bishops,priests and religious

... dignity of the human person …• each person is made in the image of god and is

called to share in god’s own life forever• valuing a broad curriculum and co-curricular

activities in order to foster a deeper sense ofthe whole person

• emphasis on pastoral care and studentsupport, not least for those who areeducationally disadvantaged

• commitment to service of all students withspecial needs

… creating an inclusive community in service ofthe common good …• schools are communities made up of pupils,

parents, staff, board members, patrons/trustees and all associated with the school

• schools seek a life-giving environment whereall hear the call to service and the creation of amore caring human society

• growth in moral awareness and commitmentto the search for justice, integrity and care forthe earth

• in a more culturally diverse society Catholicschools welcome all that is positive in this newreality, instil an attitude of respect for thegood of the other and welcome pupils of otherfaiths and none

… knowledge is sought and respected …• seeking excellence, including academic

achievement, in the context of a broadChristian philosophy of education

• nourishing the body, mind and soul through avaried academic curriculum, involvement inthe arts, physical education and sportingactivity, and a commitment to moraldevelopment and personal responsibility

• respecting reason and scientific progress whilemaintaining a balance between the humanitiesand technology in education

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Part 1: Fundamental Principles

• creating a dialogue between faith andcontemporary culture which challengesinstrumentalist and managerial approaches toeducation

… faith is nurtured and challenged …• Christians who are part of a school are invited

to constantly rediscover what it is to be afollower of Christ

• a religious education which includes faithformation, prayer and sacramentalexperiences, and a growing awareness ofbeing stewards of god’s creation

• support for staff, principals, pupils, parentsand members of boards in opening their heartsand minds to the presence of god

• continuing the mission of Christ entrusted tothe Church to go and teach

1.2 The Irish Constitutionaccording to the irish Constitution:

the State acknowledges that the primaryand natural educator of the child is thefamily and guarantees to respect theinalienable right and duty of parents toprovide, according to their means, for thereligious and moral, intellectual, physicaland social education of their children.15

the Constitution clearly affirms the inalienablerole of parents in education. it also acknowledgesthe importance of religious education. the Stateguarantees to respect the rights and duties ofparents to provide for the religious education oftheir children. the Constitution notes that sucheducation (including religious education) can beprovided at home, in private schools or in schoolsrecognised or established by the State.16 this isbased on the principle of religious freedom. thelegally recognised human right referred to as‘freedom of religion’ can be thought of ascomprising two distinct but equally important

dimensions or moral rights. it is both a positivefreedom for religion, e.g. the freedom to practice,manifest and share one’s religious commitments(including the establishment of schools with areligious ethos), and a negative freedom fromreligious coercion, e.g. the freedom from coercionby public or private parties to assent to or denyany particular religious or philosophicalproposition. thus, it is wrong to simplyunderstand freedom of religion as freedom fromreligion. indeed, the Constitution understands apositive right to give expression to religious beliefand the State has continued to emphasise thisright.

religious groups are free to establish theirown schools to cater for members of theirparticular faith. this religious freedom is acore element in our system at primary andsecondary level.17

1.3 Parental RightsParental choice in education is recognised in mostdemocracies and enshrined in the irishConstitution, in the universal declaration ofhuman rights, in united nations and europeanlegal instruments. it is also strongly affirmed inthe teaching of the Catholic Church. thisprinciple clearly holds that parents have the right

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15 Bunreacht na hÉireann, article 42.1. 16 article 42.2.17 government of ireland, Ireland’s Fourth Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (2012), p. 168.

The State acknowledges that theprimary and natural educator ofthe child is the Family andguarantees to respect theinalienable right and duty ofparents to provide, according totheir means, for the religious andmoral, intellectual, physical andsocial education of their children.

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to educate their children in accord with theirsocial, political, cultural, linguistic, religious andmoral convictions. Whilst others may disagreewith these views, the parents’ decisionsconcerning a child’s education should berespected and, where practicable, should befacilitated.

1.4 State RegulationWhile a large percentage of schools are under thepatronage of the Catholic Church, these schools,like all schools in the republic of ireland, areregulated by the State through the department ofeducation and Skills (deS). the deS strictlyregulates the curriculum of schools on advicefrom the national Council for Curriculum andassessment and through the inspectorate’sevaluation and inspection processes. Section 30of the education act (1998) states that theminister determines:

a) the subjects to be offered in recognisedschools;

b) the syllabus of each subject;c) the amount of instruction time to be

allotted to each subject; d) the guidance and counselling provision to

be offered in schools.

Schools are managed by a board of managementbut they cannot be described as ‘self-governing’as most of their governance is determined bynational policies.

• Section 9 of the education act defines in exactdetail the functions of a recognised school.

• Section 13 describes at length the powers ofthe inspectorate.

• Section 15 demands that a board ofmanagement of a recognised school carry outits functions in accord with the policiesdetermined by the minister.

• Schools must comply with extensivelegislation and the Rules for National Schools.

• Schools must implement the multitude ofcirculars and guidelines which issue from thedeS.

the exact composition of boards of managementat primary level is prescribed by the deS throughits Constitution and Rules of Procedure of Boards ofManagement.18

1.5 The Second Vatican Councilthough it took place some fifty years ago, theteaching and pastoral insights of the SecondVatican Council are still being received andinterpreted in the broader Catholic communitytoday. the Council heralded a new openness tothe modern world which has been expressedmost forcibly through various dialogues: withother Christians; with people of other faiths; withnon-believers. the most powerful symbolicexpression of these dialogues has been in assisiwhere St John Paul ii and Pope Benedict XVigathered with leaders of Christian Churches andother faiths. dialogue takes place at variouslevels, from international gatherings to localcommunities, from universities to schools andcolleges. the most important dialogue is thatbetween faith and reason. Pope Benedict XViconsistently drew attention to this fundamentalissue. at his meeting with representatives ofBritish society in Westminster hall he said:

i would suggest that the world of reasonand the world of faith – the world of secularrationality and the world of religiousbelief – need one another and should notbe afraid to enter into a profound andongoing dialogue, for the good of ourcivilization.19

he has described the Second Vatican Council asdedicated to finding a new definition of the

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18 department of education and Skills, Boards of Management of National Schools: Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure(dublin, 2011). 19 Pope Benedict XVi, meeting with representatives of British Society, including the diplomatic Corps, Politicians, academics andBusiness leaders, Westminster hall, 17 September 2010.

relationships between the Church and themodern age, between the Church and the modernState and between Christian faith and otherreligions.20 Catholic schools and colleges arecontinually reinterpreting these variousrelationships as they are at the forefront of theinteraction between Catholic faith and modernscience, between Catholic institutions anddemocratic governments, and the encounter withthose of other faiths and none.

the ongoing reception and interpretation ofVatican ii now takes place in the context of theministry of Pope francis. he has challenged allmembers of the Church to reach out again to theworld, not least to those who are on the marginsof society. the ministry of Pope francis givesrenewed energy to Catholic schools in creating amature relationship with modernity, in seeking to

be active participants in democratic societies andin fostering dialogue between all people ofgoodwill.

Pope francis says that the social dimension of thepreaching of the gospel is critically important.Christians are called to live with others and forothers. this is because god, in Christ, hasredeemed society as a whole and not just eachperson as an individual. faith is not just a privatematter between an individual person and god.this is an important insight for Catholiceducation. Pope francis states:

no one can demand that religion should berelegated to the inner sanctum of personallife, without influence on societal andnational life, without concern for thesoundness of civil institutions, without aright to offer an opinion on events affectingsociety. Who would claim to lock up in achurch and silence the message of Stfrancis of assisi or Blessed teresa ofCalcutta? they themselves would havefound this unacceptable. an authentic faith– which is never comfortable or completelypersonal – always involves a deep desire tochange the world, to transmit values, toleave this earth somehow better than wefound it.21

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20 address of his holiness Benedict XVi to the roman Curia, 22 december 2005. 21 Pope francis, Evangelii Gaudium (Vatican City: libreria editrice Vaticana, 2013), #183.

The ministry of Pope Francis givesrenewed energy to Catholic schoolsin creating a mature relationshipwith modernity, in seeking to beactive participants in democraticsocieties and in fostering dialoguebetween all people of goodwill.

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1.6 The Characteristic Spirit of aCatholic Schoolevery school has its own ethos or characteristicspirit. in the education act 15 (2) (b) thischaracteristic spirit of the school is understood asbeing ‘determined by the cultural, educational,moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritualvalues and traditions which inform and arecharacteristic of the objectives and conduct ofthe school’. it is clear from this that Catholicschools will vary depending on their history andthe socio-demographic realities of the

communities that they serve. yet, from the smallrural school serving a local community, to thelarge urban school serving a very diversepopulation, all are challenged to give expressionto their characteristic spirit through the lens ofCatholic faith. this is best understood as aninvitation to allow Catholic faith inform thevalues and traditions that are lived out andnurtured on a daily basis in the school. it shouldnot be understood as something static oroppressive but as a challenge to engage with theliberating message of the gospel.

1.7 Diversity Within a Schoolamong the students who attend Catholicschools in ireland and beyond are those who donot come from Catholic families. in many casesparents opt for this type of education andwelcome the ethos and values which underpinsuch schools. in some other cases parents mayhave little or no choice but to send their child toa Catholic school. this raises the question ofopting out of some classes. article 44.2.4 of the

irish Constitution acknowledges the right of achild not to attend religious instruction in aschool. the Supreme Court has commented onthis as follows:

the Constitution therefore distinguishesbetween religious ‘education’ and religious‘instruction’ – the former being the muchwider term. a child who attends a schoolrun by a religious denomination differentfrom his own may have a constitutionalright not to attend religious instruction atthat school but the Constitution cannotprotect him from being influenced, to somedegree, by the religious ‘ethos’ of theschool. a religious denomination is notobliged to change the general atmosphereof its school merely to accommodate achild of a different religious persuasionwho wishes to attend that school.22

Catholic schools respect and acknowledge theright of parents who require that their children beexcluded from religious instruction. the mannerin which such an opt out is facilitated is related toavailable resources. Schools are committed tofacilitating parents in this regard, but they canonly do so as resources are made available so thatthe school complies with its own policies oncurriculum, supervision and child safeguarding.the provision of such resources is theresponsibility of the minister. however, even withcurrent resources, Catholic schools havedeveloped local arrangements to accommodatethe valid wishes of such parents.

Some commentators have raised concerns aboutthe integrated curriculum with regard to thisissue. it should be noted that the philosophicalbasis of such a curricular approach is not thedesire to integrate religious education into allother subjects but the pedagogical principle thatsubject specificities are irrelevant in earlychildhood learning. thus, children are introduced

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22 mr Justice Barrington, Campaign to Separate Church and State Ltd v. Minister for Education [1998] 3 ir 321.

Every school has its own ethos orcharacteristic spirit.‘ ’

into an integrated world rather than onearbitrarily divided into discrete academicsubjects.

it must be emphasised that the vast majority ofCatholic schools handle the issue of diversity withsensitivity and respect. the Chief Inspector’sReport 2010–12 clearly indicates that theoverwhelming majority of parents and pupils findtheir schools to be well managed and welcoming.the report states that:

Some very positive findings were reportedabout the management of pupils in primaryschools in the period 2010–2012. duringnotified WSes (whole-school evalautions),96% of schools were found to be managingtheir pupils effectively by, for example,fostering respectful pupil–teacherinteractions, by cultivating an inclusive,child-centred ethos and by using positivestrategies to promote good behaviour.incidental inspections similarly found thatthe management of pupils was effective inpractically all (96%) of the classroomsvisited.23

given that this report is based on impressiveresearch both in its breadth and its depth, greatweight must be attached to its findings. thereport tells us that these findings are based on:

• almost 800 whole-school evaluations;• over 1,100 incidental inspections;

• thematic inspections of planning and targetsetting in thirty-four deiS schools;

• almost 36,000 confidential pupilquestionnaires administered to pupils infourth and sixth class in larger schools and topupils in third, fourth, fifth and sixth classes insmaller schools during the course of whole-school evaluations;

• more than 47,600 confidential parentalquestionnaires administered to parents of aselected sample of pupils in larger schools andto all parents in small schools during thecourse of whole-school evaluations.24

it is clear then that Catholic schools areinclusive and welcoming places for the vastmajority of children who attend them. the aimof these guidelines is to enhance the alreadyexcellent work being undertaken in schools asclearly evidenced in the Chief Inspector’s Report2010–12.

1.8 Religious Educationthe education act 30 (2) (d) requires the ministerto ensure that time is set aside in each school dayfor ‘subjects relating to or arising from thecharacteristic spirit of the school’. in Catholicschools this time is devoted to the programme inreligious education (re).

religious education is an integral part of therevised Primary School Curriculum.25 one generalobjective of the curriculum is that each childshould be enabled to ‘develop a knowledge andunderstanding of his or her own religious

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23 department of education and Skills, Chief Inspector’s Report 2010–12 (dublin, 2013), p. 34.24 Chief Inspector’s Report 2010–12, p. 30.25 national Council for Curriculum and assessment, Primary School Curriculum (dublin, 1999).

The Chief inspector’s report2010–12 clearly indicates that theoverwhelming majority of parentsand pupils find their schools to bewell managed and welcoming.

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The aim of these guidelines is toenhance the already excellent workbeing undertaken in schools.‘

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traditions and beliefs, with respect for religioustraditions and beliefs of others’.26 this objectivereflects Catholic Church teaching in the spirit ofthe Second Vatican Council as outlined earlier.

With these principles in mind, the draft CatholicPreschool and Primary Religious EducationCurriculum for Ireland has among its objectives theneed to ‘prepare young children for living incontact with other Christians and people of otherreligious faiths, affirming their Catholic identity,while respecting the faiths of others’.27 While theintercultural and inter-religious dimension will beembedded in the programme and exploredthematically, the curriculum further proposesthat children will have formal study of faiths otherthan Christianity in each year. the following set ofbasic principles of inter-religious dialogue willguide the delivery of this inter-religiouseducation:28

a) all children in Catholic schools have a right tolearn about diverse faiths. teaching aboutworld faith traditions should not be based onthe number of pupils who come from diversefaiths in a class or school.

b) Children should be given accurate, clear, age-and ability-appropriate informationconcerning faith traditions.

c) the positive aspects of the faith traditionshould be explored and the teacher shouldavoid stereotypes and superficialunderstandings. the teacher should not focusexcessively on what children may perceive asunusual details of a faith tradition, which maygive them an unbalanced view.

d) Particular faiths should be studied in their ownright and not only by comparison with otherfaiths.

e) teachers in Catholic schools should showchildren that there are many living faithspractised by ordinary people in contemporaryireland. ideally, local members of faithtraditions should be invited into the Catholicschool to inform the children about theirreligious beliefs and practices.

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26 Primary School Curriculum, p. 36. 27 irish episcopal Conference, draft Catholic Preschool and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland, p. 14.28 See Patricia Kieran and anne hession, Children, Catholicism and Religious Education (dublin: Veritas, 2005), p. 283.

f) teachers should ensure that children fromwithin any faith are treated withsensitivity.  While some may wish to discusstheir faith, others may not. teachers shouldnot assume that any child can be automaticallydrawn upon as a source of information.

all religious education in Catholic schools shouldbe informed by the national directory forCatechesis, Share the Good News.29 the followingis a sample of the spirit and vision of thisfoundational document, relevant to the topic ofinclusion:

a) Catholic schools are inclusive and welcomingof Catholic pupils and pupils of othertraditions (124, 168);

b) Catholic schools will respect the religioustraditions of other students (147);

c) Catholic schools seek to co-operate withparents of other traditions who wish toprovide religious instruction for the children intheir own tradition (101).30

the term used to describe the time spent onreligious learning in schools in both the Rules forNational Schools and the irish Constitution is‘religious instruction’. it could be argued,however, that this phrase, while an importantlegal term, does not do justice to the totality ofwhat happens as part of a broader religiouseducation in primary schools.

John hull suggests, for example, that there arethree different ways to teach religious educationin schools: ‘learning into religion’, ‘learning aboutreligion’ and ‘learning from religion’.31 all threetypes of learning are evident in Catholic primaryschools today.

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29 irish episcopal Conference, Share the Good News: National Directory for Catechesis in Ireland (dublin: Veritas, 2010). 30 See also irish episcopal Conference, Catholic Primary Schools: A Policy for Provision into the Future (2007), 4.3. 31 John hull, ‘the contribution of religious education to religious freedom: a global Perspective’, Religious Education in Schools:Ideas & Experiences from around the World, iarf, ed. (london, 2001), pp. 1–8.

‘learning into religion’ is most appropriate for themany children in Catholic primary schools whoare baptised Catholics. good religious educationwill help them to grow into their faith. this typeof learning could also be described, therefore, as

‘faith formation’. for example, Catholic children infirst and second class could participate in an ashWednesday ritual, and might enter into the spiritof lent by making particular promises. this typeof learning is also open to, and may beappropriate for, children of other Christiandenominations. ‘learning into religion’ is theaspect of religious education that can also bedescribed as ‘religious instruction’. however, it isimportant to note that religious instruction is justone part of the learning that is undertaken as partof religious education in Catholic schools.

‘learning about religion’, a second dimension ofreligious education, refers to pupils’ learningabout the beliefs, teachings and practices of thegreat religious traditions of the world. in aCatholic school, children will learn primarilyabout Christianity. this type of learning is open toall children. for example, all children can learnthat lent is a season of prayer, fasting andalmsgiving for Christians. in addition to this,children in Catholic schools should also learnabout faiths other than Christianity. for example,they might learn about how their local hindu

community celebrates the festival of diwali. thereport from the forum on Patronage and Pluralismin the Primary Sector advocates ‘education aboutreligion and Beliefs (erB) and ethics’ for allchildren. this contributes to the development oftolerant and religiously educated citizens.

‘learning from religion’ refers to what childrenlearn from religion for themselves. this involvesevaluating both what has been learned and how ithas impacted on their lived commitments. itbuilds on ‘learning about religion’ by ensuringthat religious education is not reduced to themere presentation of information, but thatchildren are invited to learn from what they arediscovering. for example, children in a Catholicschool might learn about the practice ofalmsgiving during lent. Christian children mightunderstand this as an expression of their

compassion for those who are poor, following theexample of Jesus. Concurrently, children whocome from a humanist, atheist or agnosticbackground might see in almsgiving a goodcharitable practice in which they would also liketo engage.

religious education in a Catholic school is openand inclusive, and children who are not Catholicshould therefore be invited to participate in andto engage with the religious educationprogramme in various ways. Such education hasnothing in common with indoctrination thatamounts to a deliberate harming of students byundermining their natural ability to reason. incontrast, Catholic schools are committed to the

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There are three different ways toteach religious education in schools:‘learning into religion’, ‘learningabout religion’ and ‘learning fromreligion’. All three types of learningare evident in Catholic primaryschools today.

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’Religious education in a Catholic school is open andinclusive.‘

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deepest respect for both faith and reason and, assuch, they contribute significantly to theformation of rational and mature citizens ofdemocratic society.

1.9 Educating to Intercultural Dialogue Catholic schools in ireland form part of a largeinternational network of such schools throughoutthe world. ever since the Second Vatican Council’sdeclaration on education, the holy See haspublished many important documents onCatholic education. the most recent is entitledEducating to Intercultural Dialogue in CatholicSchools .32 it provides important reflections onwhat it is to be a Catholic school in a globalisedworld characterised by cultural and religiouspluralism. education is the key to mutualunderstanding and to building a civilisation ofpeace in such a complex world. the documentchallenges Catholic schools to engage in dialoguethrough facing the reality of a culturally diversesituation, by overcoming prejudices and by

education through encounter with the other. itnotes that ‘schools are privileged places forintercultural dialogue’.33

What is this intercultural dialogue? it is notcultural relativism which suggests that allcultures and traditions are essentially the sameand often seeks to quarantine related practiceswithin a purely private sphere of life. nor is itreligious fundamentalism which fails to engagewith that which is other and withdraws into aghetto, secure in its own unchallenged identity.rather it is an invitation to engagement with the

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32 Congregation for Catholic education, Educating to Intercultural Dialogue in Catholic Schools: Living in Harmony for a Civilisation ofLove (Vatican City, 2013).33 Educating to Intercultural Dialogue in Catholic Schools, no. 6.

Catholic schools are committed tothe deepest respect for both faithand reason and, as such, theycontribute significantly to theformation of rational and maturecitizens of democratic society.

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other person’s faith and culture based oninnovative and courageous fidelity to one’s ownfaith and culture. Such dialogue is not just talkingbut it includes all inter-religious relationshipswith both individuals and communities.34 it seekscommon ethical values which are the foundationsof justice and peace. the aim of this dialogue isnot to abandon one’s own inherited faith andpractices but to rediscover them in a deeper waythrough encounter with the other. this is theopposite of relativism.

the relativistic model is founded on thevalue of tolerance, but limits itself toaccepting the other person, excluding thepossibility of dialogue and recognition ofeach other in mutual transformation. Suchan idea of tolerance, in fact, leads to asubstantially passive meaning ofrelationship with whoever has a differentculture. it does not demand that one takean interest in the needs and sufferings ofothers, nor that their reasons may be heard;there is no self-comparison with theirvalues, and even less sense of developinglove for them.35

how can a Catholic school be a vehicle of suchintercultural dialogue? the document notes fourtypes of dialogue: the dialogue of life; thedialogue of works; theological dialogue; and thedialogue of religious experience. the dialogue oflife reflects on the joys, challenges and sorrows oflife, especially in the context of the fundamentalrealities of family, language and culture. thedialogue of works encourages those involved tocollaborate in the holistic development of all menand women. theological dialogue demandsknowledge of the beliefs of various religioustraditions and their mutual interaction. thedialogue of religious experience is based on thelived encounter of various faiths, not onintellectual abstractions, but rather on the actuallives of the faithful. a Catholic primary schoolshould facilitate the dialogue of life, the dialogueof works and the dialogue of religious experience;it is not the time or place in life for theologicaldialogue. the dialogue of life, the dialogue ofworks and the dialogue of religious experiencecan involve all faith traditions present in theschool. Pupils whose parents wish them to haveno faith affiliation should be invited to share inthe dialogue of life and the dialogue of works.

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34 Educating to Intercultural Dialogue in Catholic Schools, no. 13. 35 Educating to Intercultural Dialogue in Catholic Schools, no. 22.

Part ii of this document gives examples of goodpractices with regard to the holistic education ofall pupils in Catholic primary schools. thesepractices should be read in the context of theprinciples that were considered in Part i. Schoolsshould adapt these practices to their localcircumstances.

2. 1 Admissions Policy and MissionStatementin the mission Statement there should be a cleardeclaration that the school is a Catholic schoolunder the patronage of the local Catholic bishop.it is suggested that the policy should brieflyexplain what a Catholic school is and how thisschool lives its Catholic ethos in the particularcommunity, be it a small rural parish or a largeurban setting. a brief explanation of ‘patronage’should also be included. applicant parents shouldunderstand that the characteristic spirit or ethosunderpinning the school permeates the wholeschool day and not just during religiouseducation classes. the vision statement detailedin Part i might prove useful in informing non-Catholic parents about the holistic understandingof education that underpins Catholic schools. inoffering an understanding of the ethos of theschool the policy should be positive aboutdiversity and inclusion. the presence of childrenfrom diverse backgrounds can enrich the life ofthe school community.

many of the issues around inclusion and diversitymight be best addressed at a pre-enrolmentmeeting. all parents of prospective pupils shouldhave ready access to the school’s enrolment policy.any issues parents may have in relation to theirchild’s spiritual welfare may be addressed with theprincipal. at this meeting the principal shoulddiscuss what it means that the school embraces

the Catholic ethos. Parents should understandthat there may be prayers at assembly and at othermoments during the school day. for children ofother faiths and none these times should be usedfor reflection. Parents should also be made awarethat Catholic children prepare for the Sacramentsof eucharist, reconciliation and Confirmation.

2.2 Inclusion in Religious Educationreligious education is an integral part of therevised Primary School Curriculum (1999). in aCatholic school, religious education shouldprepare children for living in community withpeople of their own and other faith traditions andnone. to this end, the draft Catholic Preschool andPrimary Religious Education Curriculum for Irelandhas proposed that a specific amount of time beset aside each year for the study of faiths otherthan Christianity. twelve perspectives informedthe development of the curriculum and theseinclude the ‘ecumenical and inter-religiousperspective’ and the ‘intercultural perspective’.36

the curriculum describes the development ofinter-religious literacy as follows:

Skills of inter-religious literacy enablechildren to be able to speak the publiclanguage of religion; to comprehend andappreciate the place of religious andphilosophical beliefs and practices in humanlife; to understand the need for dialogueamong Christians; to develop powers ofempathy for and sensitivity towards peopleof other religions and beliefs; to explore thebeliefs and practices of other worldreligions; to enter into dialogue with peopleof other religions and beliefs; and to fosterawareness of shared values such as justice,peace, the dignity of the human person andopenness to the transcendent.37

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36 draft Catholic Preschool and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland, pp. 14–15.37 draft Catholic Preschool and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland, p. 27.

Part 2: Developing and Sharing Good Practice

fostering such literacy will require that teachersbe given opportunities to update their knowledgeand skills in the area of inter-religious learningwhich would build on the initial religiouseducation qualification that all teachers inCatholic schools must have.

at primary level the process of learning aboutother Christian denominations and otherreligious traditions is mainly about awareness,attitudes, relationships and values. inter-religiouslearning establishes the basis for appropriaterelationships with religious others.38 to this end,the religious festivals of all children in the classcould be recognised as one very important way ofacknowledging the children’s significance andvaluing their identities.39

the formal curriculum of inter-religious educationfocuses on teaching children to respect otherpeople’s ways of praying, their holy objects,religious stories, sacred writings and beliefs.40 atall times children learn that respect and loveought to be extended to those who think or actdifferently than they do in religious matters.41

the curriculum identifies specific ideas for inter-religious learning including the following:

at junior level (4–8 year olds): a) Children could be invited to listen to and

discuss simple stories about children in otherfaith communities in ireland;

b) Children could be taught to identify Christianand other faith communities in their locality;

c) at 7-8 years old children could be taught torecognise their own religious identities andthe religious and/or cultural identities ofothers.

at senior level (9–12 years): a) Children could begin to discuss the

importance of religious or philosophicalbeliefs in the lives of people in theircommunities;

b) Children could start to investigate thereligious practice of children in otherChristian, Jewish and muslim communities inireland (e.g. how they pray);

c) Children could research religious faithcommunities with a significant local presence;

d) local members of faith traditions could beinvited into the school to inform the childrenabout their religious beliefs and practices;

e) Children could investigate ways of respectingand learning about and from people whoadhere to other religions in their community;

f) Children could be invited to investigate howpeople of other religions and beliefs in irelandpractise their beliefs today;

g) Children could relate the practices of peoplefrom other religious communities to their ownCatholic religious practice;

h) Children might be encouraged to engage inecumenical and interfaith activities such asidentifying ways in which pupils of all beliefs

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38 draft Catholic Preschool and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland, p. 19. 39 anne hession, ‘interreligious education and the future of religious education in Catholic Primary Schools’, Toward MutualGround: Pluralism, Religious Education and Diversity in Irish Schools, gareth Byrne and Patricia Kieran, eds (dublin: Columba Press,2013), p. 171. 40 draft Catholic Preschool and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland, p. 44. 41 draft Catholic Preschool and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland, p. 73.

At primary level the process oflearning about other Christiandenominations and other religioustraditions is mainly aboutawareness, attitudes, relationshipsand values.

‘’

The formal curriculum of inter-religious education focuses onteaching children to respect otherpeople’s ways of praying, their holyobjects, religious stories, sacredwritings and beliefs.

‘’

in the school can engage with localcommunity projects based around charity andjustice;

i) teachers could invite outside speakers orparents who are involved in faith-basedcharitable organisations to share theircommitment to creating a better world.

in order to ensure that parents from both Christianand other faith traditions understand the nature ofreligious education in an irish Catholic primaryschool, information should be made available tothem on enrolment, alongside other material thatis being provided to parents at this important timein their child’s life. this information would give anoverview of the programme of religious educationin place in Catholic primary schools, as well as theactivities that are linked to the ethos of the school.a sample of this information is available here.Schools are encouraged to amend this accordingto their own particular circumstances.

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Sample Information for ParentsRegarding the Nature of ReligiousEducation in the Catholic PrimarySchoolas a Catholic school, religious education isprovided for pupils in accordance with thedoctrines, practices and traditions of theCatholic Church. Catholic children will beprovided with religious experiences thatwill help them to develop their faith, suchas prayer and sacramental preparation. inaddition to these activities, all children willalso learn about and from the beliefs,teachings and practices of the greatreligious traditions of the world, with aparticular focus on Christianity. this typeof learning is open to, and inclusive of, allchildren, regardless of their faithbackground. Children from all faithtraditions and none are therefore welcometo participate in the religious educationprogramme that the school provides.

2.3 Management of ‘Opt out’ fromReligious Educationin addition to setting out an overview of thereligious education programme and how it ismanaged throughout the school, this informationshould also set out a procedure for dealing withany requests made for ‘opt out’ from religiouseducation. Such a procedure may include apresentation by the principal teacher and/orpostholder [if one is assigned this role], giving anoverview of the religious education policy to newapplicant parents/guardians at an ‘informationmeeting’ pre-enrolment.

Where parents/guardians raise issues of concernin regard to the content of the religious educationpolicy, an opportunity should be provided forthem to meet individually with the principal orteacher/postholder. the purpose of this meetingis:

a) to allay any concerns parents/guardians mayhave;

b) to answer specific questionsparents/guardians may have arising fromeither the information meeting or theprogramme content, as set out in theinformation document;

c) to enable the parents/guardians to make aninformed decision in regard to withdrawalfrom religious education or otherwise.

the information should also advise of the optionsthe school can provide for children when arequest for ‘opt out’ from religious education ismade. these may include:

a) Staying within the classroom following aninteresting, educationally appropriate andchild-friendly activity, where alternativesupervision is not feasible;

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b) Split timetabling of religious educationbetween class streams;

c) Supervised project work/research in anotherroom [where a member of staff is available];

d) Parent/guardian absenting the child for thepurpose of receiving religious instructionelsewhere.

other practical situations may arise from time totime that require the school to consider makingaccommodations for children who do not sharethe Catholic faith. in most circumstances theschool should be in a position to bring these tothe attention of parents at an enrolment meetingand then to plan well in advance for sucheventualities. Children of other faiths should beinvited but not obliged to attend all Catholicreligious celebrations in the school. individualchildren, with parental consent, can be invited toread special prayers/texts promoting core valuessuch as respect and tolerance, which are commonto many faith groups. Parents may decide toexcuse their child from school for the duration ofany of these celebrations. appropriate proceduresshould be in place to facilitate any such requeste.g. written notification to the principal teacher.

a Catholic school, in a spirit of inclusivity, couldincorporate an ‘inter-religious’ element to thesecelebrations, where appropriate, withoutcompromising its core values. Consideration mayneed to be given to the timing of events. all staffshould be familiar with the policy and procedures,thereby enabling them to respond positively toparental requests and concerns as necessary.

2.4 Sacramental Preparationinvolvement in the preparation of Catholicchildren for the Sacraments of firstreconciliation, first Communion andConfirmation is an integral part of the life of aCatholic primary school. first reconciliation andfirst Communion are celebrated during second

class and Confirmation normally takes place insixth class. over the course of the school year, 2.5hours are devoted to religious education eachweek. this average is also maintained duringsecond class and sixth class. Schools should takecare that this amount of time is not exceeded. thetime allocated to religious education is sufficientto cover sacramental preparation. the issue ofencroachment on the time for other curriculumareas need not be problematic when the overallyear is taken into account.

Parish programmes such as Do This in Memory andYou Shall Be My Witnesses have significantlyimproved the level of parish input into thepreparation for the sacraments, while alsoencouraging parents/guardians to prepare theirchildren appropriately in their own homes. Suchpreparation is not an either/or in school oroutside, but can be both/and. it should not leadto any diminishment of the valuable work beingachieved in school time.

for children whose parents do not wish them toreceive these Catholic sacraments, Section 2.3gives examples of how such pupils can opt out ofthe programme. these pupils may wish toparticipate in choirs, art, drama and other aspectsof school support for the sacramentalprogramme. Where there are a significant numberof pupils who are not participating in sacramentalpreparation, the school could timetable thereligious education class in a manner most suitedto facilitate their parents/guardians.

2.5 Intercultural Dialogue – SomeSuggestionsin Part i of this document the Vatican publication,Educating to Intercultural Dialogue in CatholicSchools, was introduced. Some practicalimplications of this intercultural approach aresuggested here. the document speaks ofdifferent types of dialogue. the dialogue of life,

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the dialogue of works and the dialogue ofreligious experience can involve all faithtraditions present in the school. Pupils whoseparents wish them to have no faith affiliationshould be invited to share in the dialogue of lifeand the dialogue of works.

2.5.1 The Dialogue of Lifethe dialogue of life reflects on the joys,challenges and sorrows of life, especially in thecontext of the fundamental realities of family,language and culture. a) all pupils in the school are made to feel

welcome. this could include school displays,welcome notices in various languages, or flagsof the various countries represented.

b) members of the board of management and ofthe school community engage in self-evaluation to ensure that the school retains itssense of inclusiveness.

c) Cultural days are held in school where thevarious cultures represented are celebrated.

d) When problems such as bullying and conflictsituations arise, children are taught to bereconciled with one another in a respectfulway, knowing the values of forgiveness andlove. reconciliation is a feature of daily life andchildren are encouraged to grow inappreciation of human dignity.

e) the school provides mentoring opportunitiesfor newly arrived international pupils and theirparents.

f) Children and parents are invited to dress intheir national costumes and perform dance,music and poetry on appropriate occasions.

g) the Parents’ association encourages parentsfrom other traditions to be active in school life.

h) Key materials are translated as resources allow.

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2.5.2 The Dialogue of Worksthe dialogue of works encourages those involvedto collaborate in the holistic development of allmen and women.

a) School assemblies seek to awaken a sense ofcommon responsibility for the future ofhumanity.

b) all pupils are involved in developmenteducation projects, awakening a sense ofresponsibility towards those who are most inneed.

c) the school is involved in supporting localcharities.

d) School assemblies instil in students a sense ofrespect and care for the other person.

e) all pupils participate in green flag and similarprojects.

f) the school is committed to developing theenvironmental awareness of pupils throughthe integrated curriculum.

g) the school forms links with a school in adeveloping country.

2.5.3 The Dialogue of Religious Experiencethe dialogue of religious experience is based onthe lived encounter of various faiths, not onintellectual abstractions, but rather on the actuallives of the faithful.

a) School assemblies acknowledge majorfestivals associated with otherfaiths/traditions that are present in the school.

b) Children are encouraged to share their beliefsand their cultural experiences, both within theclassroom and amongst their friends. this canhappen spontaneously through daily news andthrough integration with the curriculum.

c) using the internet, children grow anawareness of other faiths and cultures.

d) Children make PowerPoint presentations forvarious projects and topics of interest,especially related to other faiths and culturespresent within the school.

e) Children of different faiths are given theopportunity to explain their beliefs to theirclassmates.

f) Children are educated about other faithsthrough course work and projects.

g) the school celebrates an intercultural weekeach year which highlights the faiths andcultures present in the school.

h) all students are invited to participate insacramental events/ceremonies.

2.6 Reflecting on Good Practice all Catholic primary schools are invited toparticipate in A process for understanding,supporting and taking ownership of thecharacteristic spirit in a Catholic school.42 thisprocess was developed by the Catholic SchoolsPartnership and many schools are using it as auseful instrument in reflecting on the meaning oftheir Catholic identity. the process will be revisedin 2015 to include a section on best practice withregard to the holistic education of pupils of otherfaiths and no faith in Catholic schools. this willprovide schools with a mechanism to reflect onand develop good practice in the context of thelived ethos of the school.

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42 Catholic Schools Partnership, A process for understanding, supporting and taking ownership of the characteristic spirit in a Catholicschool (maynooth, 2012). available at www.catholicschools.ie.

this document is offered as a service to Catholicprimary schools as they reflect on their practiceswith regard to the holistic education of all pupilsin the school. Such holistic education includesreligious education as part of a dialogue thatopens up some of the most important questionsin human life. Part i comments on thefundamental principles that inform such an

approach from a Catholic perspective, while Partii provides concrete suggestions on how theseprinciples might be followed through in practice.each school will need to adapt these concretesuggestions to local circumstances, and theCatholic Schools Partnership will provide updateson good practice through its websitewww.catholicschools.ie.

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Conclusion