Article 21 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 requires
all publicly funded schools in Northern Ireland, except nursery schools, to
provide Religious Education (RE) and collective worship.
The Minister has announced plans to revise the RE core syllabus for
implementation from September 2027. Interim guidance on the RE syllabus for
the 2026-27 academic year will issue before the end of the current academic
year.
The RE curriculum must include the core syllabus specified under Article 11 of
the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (Religious Education Core
Syllabus (English version). The syllabus sets out core matters, skills and
processes to be taught.
The recent Supreme Court judgment did not quash this legislation. Schools
must lawfully, therefore, continue to both teach RE and provide collective
worship.
The law provides an unqualified right for parents to withdraw their
children wholly or partially from RE and/or collective worship, without the
need to explain or justify their reasons.
The withdrawal process
Schools must have a simple, confidential process for parents to request
withdrawal. This should include:
Partial Withdrawal
Partial withdrawal options should enable parents to specify withdrawal from:
Alternative arrangements for pupils
