Ethos.
Zion Parish School is a co-education primary school under Church of Ireland management. The Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough is the school’s Patron. The school endeavours to promote the moral, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical and social development of all the pupils in its care. The school reflects the ethos of the Church of and values of honesty, charity, kindness, patience and personal responsibility are encouraged. Equally it encourages and practises respect for the traditions and teachings of other churches and spiritual communities. The teaching of Religious Education in this school does not involve religious formation or specifically confessional teaching as this is a matter for each family and their Church. The constitutional right of parents to withdraw their child from Religious Education is acknowledged. However the attention of parents is drawn to the fact that due to accommodation constraints and the limited availability of staff a child who is withdrawn from RE may have to be remain in the classroom for the duration of the lesson.
Children of other faiths and none are welcomed and affirmed.
Zion Parish School is a community where all pupils are equally valued and respected – irrespective of gender, social or ethnic background, family circumstances, educational achievement, physical characteristics or intellectual capacity.
Zion Parish School is a community where the traditions and teaching of the Church of Ireland inform the position taken in regard to moral issues which arise in the teaching of secular subjects.
The work of the school is conducted in an atmosphere of inclusion, tolerance and respect for religious differences. The admission policy of the school allows those of other faiths or none to enrol as pupils. Zion Parish School values and recognises the contribution that pupils of different faiths bring to the life of the school.
Zion Parish School is a part of the local church community and has strong links with the Parish. Pupils take part in services in the local church (eg. Advent, Easter etc.) Special events take place in the school to mark religious festivals and celebrations eg. Christmas, Harvest etc. The Rector visits the school and takes part in Assembly on a regular basis.
Time spent teaching Religious Education is per Department of Education guidelines. All pupils generally take part in Religious Education lessons. The ‘Follow Me’ programme (developed by the Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian Boards of Education) is in used throughout all the classes.
Zion Parish School is a co-educational primary school with a Church of Ireland ethos under the patronage of Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough
“Church of Ireland/Anglican” ethos in the context of a Church of Ireland primary school means the ethos and characteristic spirit of the Anglican Christian tradition. This seeks to nurture and encourage the formation of the intellectual, academic, sporting, social and religious abilities of each child within the framework of the community of faith. A Church of Ireland ethos encourages intellectual diversity of thought and encourages the individual to seek to understand themselves, the world around them and the connection between the world and God. This understanding of school ethos promotes pluralism in thought and living, in the context of a Christian school community. Drawing on its Anglican tradition, the Church of Ireland School encourages home/family involvement, highlighting the importance of the family/home in the social and emotional development of the child, and more broadly, the community of the school and church.
In accordance with S.15 (2) (b) of the Education Act, 1998 the Board of Management of Zion Parish School shall uphold, and be accountable to the patron for so upholding, the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school