The Church of Ireland has a role in education in both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland through its General Synod Board of Education and several related organisations which seek to support teachers, parents and schoolchildren.
The aims of the General Synod Board of Education are, in pursuance of the missional role of the Church, to:
The Board of Education (Republic of Ireland) advises the General Synod of developments in educational policy, represents the Church as an educational partner to the Department of Education and other educational bodies, and provides advice to school patrons and boards of management on the management of schools.
It also supports Religious Education in primary schools under Protestant management through the Follow Me programme, and co–ordinates and encourages participation in the Synod Examination in Religious Education. The Board facilitates Garda vetting of workers and volunteers in Church of Ireland primary schools and parishes.
The Follow Me series of Religious Education books is accessible from www.followme-series.org
This project is the Religious Education Programme for National Schools in the Republic of Ireland under the patronage of the Church of Ireland, the Methodist Church in Ireland and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
News items for the Board of Education (RI) are available here
The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) aims to develop, in conjunction with other churches, a clear and shared vision of education shaped by the core values of the Christian faith, and to seek continued curriculum support of the Religious Education core syllabus in schools.
It advises the General Synod of developments in educational policy in Northern Ireland and represents the Church as an educational partner to the Department of Education and other educational bodies.
The Board liaises with the Presbyterian and Methodist churches within the Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC) in promoting the interests and safeguarding the rights of transferors, facilitates the nomination of transferor governors to controlled primary and secondary schools, and makes submissions to relevant Government consultations. It also works with the Education Authority, the Controlled Schools’ Support Council, and institutions of higher education.
News items for the Board of Education (NI) are available here
The Transferor Governor Handbook is a guide to the creative opportunities and responsibilities of governors in the promotion of a positive Christian ethos in their school, the importance of implementing the statutory core syllabus in Religious Education, and the legal and statutory rights of the transferor churches in Northern Ireland.
Safeguarding Trust is the child protection policy for the Church of Ireland. Resources are available on our Safeguarding website: www.safeguarding.ireland.anglican.org