How is religion and sport taught in integrated schools?
Every Integrated School provides a Christian rather than secular approach to education. Where the school population includes significant numbers of children of a particular religious community, separate provision should be made to prepare such children for sacramental and liturgical participation in that specific religious community, if their parents so desire. Like any other school in Northern Ireland, integrated schools have an obligation to deliver the Northern Ireland Curriculum, which, in the case of religion, has been agreed upon by the four main Churches. In integrated primary schools Catholic children are prepared for the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. All parents have the right to withdraw their children from religious classes. Regarding PE, all integrated schools will try to cater for the cultural interests, including games, of both the main traditions of Northern Ireland. All pupils will have the choice to participate or not. The quality of coaching of
