Religious Education (RE) is a statutory subject within controlled schools in Northern Ireland – all government funded schools are required to teach it. Schools have to provide RE in accordance with the core syllabus which was drawn up by the four main churches and specified by the Department.

The RE core syllabus includes Christianity, morality, world religions and a requirement at Key Stage 4 for pupils to study the Christian church from both a Protestant and a Roman Catholic perspective. It provides a common core for the teaching of RE that schools are free to build upon in a way that suits the needs of their pupils and the ethos of the school. This is in keeping with the flexibility provided by the curriculum and gives schools scope to include, for example, additional material on world religions or any other RE related subject matter.

This explains why two neighbouring schools could have different RE syllabi and different approaches to the way they teach RE. Therefore, the best way to find out about RE in a school is to meet up with the Head Teacher or RE coordinator/Head of department and discuss it, exploring ways in which a prayer space could enrich what is being taught. This reflects an essential aspect of hosting a prayer space in a school – the importance of building a positive relationship with the school and its staff, and so connecting the Christian community with the school community to develop trust and mutual understandi

Download this document for more information and examples of the way that Prayer Spaces in Schools can support the delivery of RE as part of the big picture curriculum in Northern Ireland.