DAILY LIFE
Ethical Education The Ethical Education Programme (EEP) is a fundamental expression of the overall ethos of the school, and is based on the Learn Together Curriculum as devised by Educate Together. This ethos is based on four guiding principles, which are summarised below: -
The aims of the Ethical Education Programme are as follows:
- To give children an understanding of social, ethical and moral standards in the areas of honesty, respect, justice, integrity, trust and responsibility.
- To express the multi-denominational principles of the school by fostering in the children a knowledge and understanding of different value and belief systems and philosophical traditions.
- To promote equality among the genders and among all people by encouraging the children to value people as individuals and not as physical, psychological, socio-economic, racial or gender stereotypes.
- To develop in the children, a knowledge and understanding of the self (both physical and emotional) and, thus, foster a sense of confidence and self-worth in each child
- To help the children to develop an aesthetic sense and to stimulate feelings of wonder and creative searching.
The areas covered by the Ethical Education Programme are not prescribed by the Department of Education. It therefore falls to the school patron to formulate the Ethical Education Programme policy. The patron is the person or group of people who promote the provision of education within a particular area. In the case of the RETNS, the Executive Committee is the patron and its policy on the Ethical Education Programme can be stated as follows: -
It is recognised that responsibility for the provision of instruction in the tenets of an individual child’s faith rests with that child’s parents. Without prejudice to this responsibility, the patron will oversee the development of the Ethical Education Programme, based on the aims and guiding principles stated above.
EEP Update
The school year has got off to a great start with some exciting projects and activities underway. Friendship has been chosen as the core theme for the first term and some the aspects covered will be celebrated in the Winterfest performance. All classes have celebrated Positive Behaviour Week with lively discussions, the drawing up of class charters, songs and a special assembly. Some classes have also explored the theme of Positive Ageing and everybody is looking forward to Tree Day on October 7th.Tree Day links in with the Ethics and Environment strand of the Learn Together curriculum as does another up-coming event, the Green School committee elections. Through events such as these we hope to inculcate in the children a sense of responsibility and stewardship for their environment .2nd to 6th class are participating in the MS readathon, a project that will link reading skills with developing respect and empathy for others. Children in various classes have learnt about a variety of festivals such as Eid-il-Fitr, Roshanah, YomKippur and Harvest festival. 5th and 6th class are undertaking the Crocus project this term. This initiative,organised by the Holocaust Education Trust, explores issues related to the Holocaust in tandem with planting crocus bulbs to commemorate victims o f oppression.
