Hedgewood School is committed to providing a broad and balanced curriculum, including Religious Education (RE), which aims to promote religious literacy and cultural diversity. However, we also recognise the right of parents/carers to withdraw their child from RE lessons.

Parents/carers have a legal right to withdraw their child, either wholly or partly, from:

• Receiving religious education (RE) given in the school in accordance with the school’s basic curriculum.
• Attendance at religious worship in the school.

We encourage parents/carers considering withdrawal to contact the Co-headteacher’s to arrange a discussion about our RE curriculum. This will provide an opportunity to understand the content covered, our aims in promoting religious literacy and cultural diversity, and to address any concerns you may have. We can offer to show you our locally agreed syllabus, learning objectives, and examples of lessons.

While we are not generally supportive of selective withdrawal from parts of RE, we will grant a request for partial withdrawal if this is your wish.

Requests for withdrawal should preferably be made in writing to ensure a clear record. Once a request for withdrawal is made, we will discuss the practical implications and make appropriate arrangements, ensuring that the school does not incur any extra cost and that this time is not used for other curriculum subjects. Please be aware that while your child will be supervised during this time, the school is not required to provide alternative education.

It is good practice for us to review withdrawals from RE with parents annually.

Please note that the right to withdraw applies specifically to RE and religious worship, and does not extend to other curriculum areas where religious topics may be explored, such as religious art in an art lesson or the study of evolution in science.

We believe that RE plays an important role in the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) development of children and the promotion of Fundamental British Values. By understanding different religions and beliefs, our students can develop tolerance, respect, and empathy for others. We showcase the enriching activities within RE through parents’ evenings, assemblies, displays, and information on our website.

If you wish to discuss withdrawing your child from RE, please contact one of the Co-headteacher’s to arrange a meeting at your earliest convenience. We are committed to working with parents to ensure the best possible educational experience for all our students.