The Education (Guernsey) Law, 1970, sets out a requirement for States' schools to make arrangements for an act of worship during the school day, although pupils may be withdrawn from such acts of worship if the parent(s) request it. (Please note the Guernsey 1970 Law is different from the English Law).
Schools follow a collective worship policy and have a programme of both religious and non-religious assemblies. Schools often welcome visitors from different faith groups to take part in such assemblies. The Law states that the collective worship 'shall not, in any States' school, be distinctive of any particular religious denomination'. The Voluntary Schools (Notre Dame du Rosaire Catholic Primary and St. Mary & St. Michael Catholic Primary) are the exception as they only accept baptised Catholics as pupils and under the Law are permitted to give religious instruction or collective worship distinctive of a particular faith.
Individual schools will be happy to provide further details of collective worship if required.
The Guernsey agreed syllabus for Religious Education includes a structured framework for ensuring that Christianity and the other five principal religions (Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism) are studied with sufficient depth and breadth throughout the four Key Stages.
Please refer to the individual curriculum key stages for further information.
