Religious Education (RE) at Thames Ditton Infant School

At Thames Ditton Infant School, our Religious Education curriculum helps children develop respect, curiosity and understanding about a range of beliefs, celebrations and worldviews. Learning is age-appropriate, inclusive and focused on helping pupils appreciate diversity within our school and wider community.

Parental Right to Withdraw from RE

Parents have a legal right to withdraw their child from Religious Education (RE) and/or collective worship, as outlined in Section 71(1) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

Parents may request that their child is wholly or partly excused from:

• RE taught as part of the school’s basic curriculum

• Attendance at religious worship in school

No explanation or justification is required if a parent chooses to withdraw their child from part or all of the RE curriculum.

If a child is withdrawn from RE:

• The school will provide appropriate supervision.

• We are not required to provide alternative teaching or additional activities.

• Children will remain on the school premises.

• Parents are not permitted to supervise their child during these sessions.

This right applies only to Religious Education and collective worship. It does not extend to National Curriculum subjects that may include learning about religions or worldviews, nor to other statutory curriculum areas such as Relationships and Sex Education (RSE).

If you are considering withdrawing your child from RE, we are very happy to discuss this with you.
Please contact the school office for the attention of the Head Teacher.