The Learn Together Programme is taught from junior infants up to sixth class and is a fundamental expression of the overall ethos of the school. The Learn Together Programme is common to all Educate Together schools.
The aims of the Learn Together 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.
- To help the children to develop an aesthetic sense and to stimulate feelings of wonder and creative searching.
The four key strands of the Learn Together Programme are:
- The moral & spiritual strand
- The equality & justice strand
- The belief systems strand
- The ethics & environment strand
The areas covered by the Learn Together Programme are not prescribed by the Department of Education and fall to the school patron. Educate Together recognises 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 Learn Together Programme, based on the aims and guiding principles stated above.
Denominational Religious Instruction
As an Educate Together school, there is no religious curriculum taught in the school. However, parent groups are welcome to use the school facilities to set up religious education classes outside of school hours. Currently, parents are running (Roman Catholic) classes for first and second class children for First Communion and for fourth to sixth class children for Confirmation. These classes are taught by teachers outside of RETNS and are supported by the local parish. Anyone who is interested in starting other religious education classes can make enquiries through their class representative on the Parents’ Association or directly with th Principal.
