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.
Special Education in Ethics
Helping children develop skills for life.
Ethics classes support children to develop a life-long capacity for making well-reasoned decisions about ethical issues. Through the give-and-take of reasoned argument students learn to disagree respectfully, to challenge ideas and to support their arguments with considered evidence rather than according to habit or peer pressure.
Our volunteer ethics teachers use detailed lesson materials which present a range of stories, scenarios and questions to generate discussion. Ethics teachers are trained to impartially facilitate student discussions, helping students develop their critical thinking and collaborative inquiry skills. Ethics teachers support student learning by:
- modelling the inquiry process – by asking questions and encouraging discussion
- showing genuine curiosity and interest in the questions being discussed
- staying neutral – ethics teachers are trained to keep their own views out of the discussion
- creating a positive learning environment – by allowing students time to think, encouraging students to share ideas, give reasons and ensuring
At Helensburgh Public School, a half hour Special Religious Education (SRE) class and Special Education in Ethics (SEE) class is offered to students.
We provide the following SRE class: Anglican and Catholic
The approved provider for Anglican SRE is the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. The SRE curriculum is available at https://cepconnect.com.au/curriculum
Students not attending SRE or SEE participate in alternative meaningful activities.
The Special Education in Ethics program is provided by Primary Ethics. You can find out more information about the program from the Primary Ethics Website.