Queensland state schools embrace a multitude of cultural, religious and non-religious beliefs. Under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, schools are to provide RI each week 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.
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 given consent and indicated a religion on the Application for Student Enrolment Form or in other written advice to the principal. A parent, regardless of their own faith (if any), may choose to give consent for their child to participate in one of the RI programs listed below.
Any child not participating in RI, or whose nominated religion is not represented within the RI program/s at the school, will receive other instruction by a qualified member of school staff in a separate location during the time RI is held. Other instruction will relate to subject areas that have already been covered in class.
At any time, parents may provide written instruction to the principal to change their preference for their child to participate in or be withdrawn from RI. If a parent does not update their consent by completing and returning this form, their previous written instructions to the school will continue to apply.
The faith group/s that provide/s religious instructors to deliver the program at our school is/are listed below:
1) Christianity
2) Baha'i Faith
3) Exclude from any religious instructions
Combined Christian Religious Instruction Authorised programmes: Godspace, Beginning with God The aim of Christian RI is to inform students about the basic beliefs of the Christian faith from a non-denominational perspective. To note the worth of these values as contributing to positive individual and community living Christian RI may involve a variety of up-to-date teaching methods including storytelling, prayer, music, drama, craft, activity books, games, quizzes, video clips and puppet shows. Programme resources are written by professional educators and are age-appropriate and a workbook is provided to each student.
Baha'i Baha'i classes are empowering children to contribute to the creation of a peaceful world through exploration of universal themes. Classes are aimed to help children acquire spiritual qualities, develop patterns of positive behaviour.