Considerations for principals establishing and implementing other instruction for students who are not participating in religious instruction
The following are key areas for consideration when establishing and implementing other instruction for students not undertaking religious instruction in a school. This is a guide only and other considerations may be important to individual school communities. Arrangements relating to religious instruction and other instruction are made by the principal, in consultation with the school community.
Policy background
- Under s.31 of the Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2017, students who are not participating in religious instruction must be provided with other instruction during this time in a separate location.
- Under the Religious Instruction policy statement, other instruction must relate to part of a subject area that has already been covered in class and may include, but is not limited to, wider reading, personal research or revision of work.
- The principal determines the types of activities offered to students receiving other instruction.
Placement
Delivery
- Other instruction must be provided at the same time religious instruction is being provided.
- Other instruction is to occur in a separate location to where religious instruction is taking place (e.g. classroom or hall), where students are not exposed to religious instruction.
- Students placed into other instruction must receive supervision from qualified staff for the duration of other instruction.
Supervising staff
- Qualified staff providing supervision may be teachers, specialist teachers, senior school leaders or teacher aides (as permitted under current Award and Enterprise Bargaining arrangements and role descriptions for these school-based positions).
- Are capable of supporting the activities and content of the work being undertaken by students.
- Are available to support students with their work during other instruction.
Examples of other instruction
The subject area provided to students receiving other instruction should have already been covered in the student's class.
The types of instruction offered to students in other instruction may include, but is not limited to:
- personal research and/or assignments
- revision of class work such as creative writing or literacy and/or numeracy activities which could include online programs currently accessed by the students of that school (i.e. Mathletics, Reading Eggs)
- wider reading such as independent reading appropriate to the student.
Suggested communication
- Provide information about the other instruction on the school's website, newsletter and parent handbook.
- Review information about other instruction on the school's website, newsletter and parent handbook at least annually for accuracy.
- Provide parents with information on other instruction when they are completing the
application for student enrolment form (i.e. school-specific parent handbook, information sheet, FAQs, website content).
- Advise parents of any changes to other instruction to ensure they are able to make an informed decision on their child's participation.