Child Evangelism Fellowship - have they visited schools to discuss any subject matter
| Authority | Department of Education, Sport and Culture |
|---|---|
| Date received | 2017-06-30 |
| Outcome | All information sent |
| Outcome date | 2017-07-14 |
| Case ID | 354861 |
Summary
The Department of Education, Sport and Culture confirmed that representatives of the Child Evangelism Fellowship visit various Isle of Man schools to deliver Bible story assemblies and prayers, providing a detailed breakdown of visit frequencies per school.
Key Facts
- Representatives of the Child Evangelism Fellowship visit schools to retell Bible stories and lead prayers similar to 'Open the Book'.
- Pupils are given the option to say 'Amen' at the end of these assemblies.
- Headteachers determine which community figures are welcomed into schools, and all visitors are accompanied and monitored.
- Teachers are expected to intercede immediately if they become aware of 'evangelising' beyond the agreed scope.
- The visits are subject to the Education Act 2001, which mandates religious education be broadly Christian but not distinctive of any particular denomination.
Data Disclosed
- 2017-06-30
- 2017-07-14
- 11th July 2017
- IM93553I
- 90340I
- Education Act 2001
- 8 occasions a year
- Seven visits
- 32 assemblies 2013-17
- 20 times since 2013
- 10 times this academic year
- 28 times this academic year
- 12 times a year
- 5 times a year
- 4 times this academic year
- Every 6 weeks
- 7 visits this academic year
- 4 visits this academic year
Data Tables (4)
| Name of School | Has any representative from the | How many times has a representative(s) of the Child Evangelism Fellowship visited any school on the Isle of Man to discuss any subject matter (either formally or informally with any pupil(s)) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Evangelism Fellowship visited | |||||||||||
| any school on the Isle of Man to | |||||||||||
| discuss any subject matter (either | |||||||||||
| formally or informally with any | |||||||||||
| pupil(s)) | |||||||||||
| Yes | No | ||||||||||
| Anagh Coar | Yes | 8 occasions a year | |||||||||
| Andreas | Yes | 2016-2017 Seven visits | |||||||||
| Arbory | Yes | Taken 32 assemblies 2013-17 | |||||||||
| Ashley Hill | Yes | Approximately once a half term | |||||||||
| Ballacottier | No | N/A | |||||||||
| Ballasalla | Yes | 2016-17 five visits | |||||||||
| Ballaugh | Yes | 2016-17 five visits | |||||||||
| Braddan | Yes | 6 visits a year | |||||||||
| Bunscoill Ghaelgagh | No | N/A | |||||||||
| Bunscoill Rhumsaa (Junior and Infant) | Yes | 7 visits this academic year between Junior and Infant | |||||||||
| Cronk-y-Berry | Yes | Once each half term | |||||||||
| Dhoon | Yes | 20 times since 2013 | |||||||||
| Foxdale | Yes | 10 times this academic year | |||||||||
| Henry Bloom Noble | Yes | Once a half term | |||||||||
| Jurby | Yes | 8 times a year | |||||||||
| Kewaigue | Yes | 28 times this academic year | |||||||||
| Laxey | Yes | Approximately 12 times a year | |||||||||
| Manor park | Yes | About 5 times a year | |||||||||
| Marown | Yes | 4 times this academic year | |||||||||
| Michael | Yes | Every 6 weeks | |||||||||
| Onchan | Yes | 7 visits this academic year | |||||||||
| Peel Clothworkers’ | Yes | Every half term | |||||||||
| Phurt le Moirrey | Yes | 4 visits this academic year |
| Name of |
|---|
| School |
| How many times has a representative(s) |
|---|
| of the Child Evangelism Fellowship |
| visited any school on the Isle of Man to |
| discuss any subject matter (either |
| formally or informally with any pupil(s)) |
| Rushen | No | N/A | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil yn Jubilee (Junior and Infant) | 0 | No | N/A | ||||||||
| St John’s | No | N/A | |||||||||
| St Marys RC | No | N/A | |||||||||
| St Thomas’ C of E | Yes | 6 visits a year | |||||||||
| Sulby | Yes | 6-8 visits a year | |||||||||
| Vallajeelt | Yes | 7 visits this academic year | |||||||||
| Victoria Road | Yes | 8 visits this academic year | |||||||||
| Wilaston | Yes | Visits weekly | |||||||||
| Ballakermeen High School | No | N/A | |||||||||
| Castle Rushen High School | No | N/A | |||||||||
| Queen Elizabeth II High School | No | N/A | |||||||||
| Ramsey Grammar School | No | N/A | |||||||||
| St Ninian’s High School | No | N/A | |||||||||
| St Ninian’s Lower School | No | N/A |
Full Response Text
11th July 2017
Re: Freedom of Information Request – Reference Number IM93553I
Your Request
Pursuant to the answer given in respect of FOI Reference No90340I (Teaching of Creationism in Schools and visits by representatives of the Living Hope Church) please confirm or otherwise the following:
Whether any representative of the Child Evangelism Fellowship has visited any Isle of Man school to discuss any subject matter, give presentations etc (either formally or informally with any pupil(s)); and
How many times any representative(s) of the Child Evangelism Fellowship has visited any Isle of Man school to discuss any subject matter, give presentations etc (either formally or informally with any pupil(s)).
NB. According to the Child Evangelism Fellowship Ireland website this organisation has what it terms "overseas missionaries" on the Isle of Man whose ministry includes visits to schools. The website describes the CEF as a Bible centered organization composed of born again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to edify (disciple) them in the word of God and to establish them in a local church
Department Response
The Department is pleased to provide you with the following information in response to your Freedom of Information request – IM93553I . This information will also be published on the Government website in due course should you wish to revisit the information.
In order to improve engagement with the community, Headteachers welcome community figures into school. It is Headteachers, themselves, who determine which members of the community are welcomed in to the school and all such visitors would be accompanied throughout their visit. Their engagement with young people is limited and carefully monitored and is subject to the provisions of the Education Act 2001.
Department of Education and Children
Rheynn Ynsee as Paitchyn
Section 12 (2)(b) and (c) of the Education Act 2001 says:
(2) The religious education given to any pupils at a provided school pursuant to subsection (1) —
………… (b) shall be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character; but (c) shall not include any catechism or formulary which is distinctive of any particular religious denomination.
I can confirm that a member of the Child Evangelism Fellowship visits some schools. The member delivers assemblies to pupils by re-telling them bible stories and gives a prayer (similar to ‘Open the Book’), at the end. Pupils are given the option as to whether they wish to say ‘Amen’, similar to ‘Open the Book’.
If teachers become aware of ‘evangelising’, they would intercede immediately.
Name of School Has any representative from the Child Evangelism Fellowship visited any school on the Isle of Man to discuss any subject matter (either formally or informally with any pupil(s)) How many times has a representative(s) of the Child Evangelism Fellowship visited any school on the Isle of Man to discuss any subject matter (either formally or informally with any pupil(s))
Yes No
Anagh Coar Yes
8 occasions a year Andreas Yes
2016-2017 Seven visits Arbory Yes
Taken 32 assemblies 2013-17 Ashley Hill Yes
Approximately once a half term Ballacottier
No N/A Ballasalla Yes
2016-17 five visits Ballaugh Yes
2016-17 five visits Braddan Yes
6 visits a year Bunscoill Ghaelgagh
No N/A Bunscoill Rhumsaa (Junior and Infant) Yes
7 visits this academic year between
Junior and Infant
Cronk-y-Berry
Yes
Once each half term Dhoon Yes
20 times since 2013 Foxdale Yes
10 times this academic year Henry Bloom Noble Yes
Once a half term Jurby Yes
8 times a year Kewaigue Yes
28 times this academic year Laxey Yes
Approximately 12 times a year Manor park Yes
About 5 times a year Marown Yes
4 times this academic year Michael Yes
Every 6 weeks Onchan Yes
7 visits this academic year Peel Clothworkers’ Yes
Every half term Phurt le Moirrey Yes
4 visits this academic year
Teachers would be expected to deliver all lessons, including RE lessons, and assemblies in an impartial unbiased way and this would be monitored by Heads of Department and Senior School Leaders.
If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us
to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a Review/Complaint form and
submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to:
Mr Andrew Shipley, Legal and Administration Manager, Hamilton House, Peel Road, Douglas,
Isle of Man, IM1 5EZ.
An electronic version of our Review/Complaint form can be found by going to https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/
Your Review/Complaint request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been conducted.
Appeal Process
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on;
1
Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or 2
Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
Rushen
No N/A Scoil yn Jubilee (Junior and Infant) 0 No N/A
St John’s
No N/A St Marys RC
No N/A St Thomas’ C of E Yes
6 visits a year Sulby Yes
6-8 visits a year Vallajeelt Yes
7 visits this academic year Victoria Road Yes
8 visits this academic year Wilaston Yes
Visits weekly
Ballakermeen High School
No N/A Castle Rushen High School
No N/A Queen Elizabeth II High School
No N/A Ramsey Grammar School
No N/A St Ninian’s High School
No N/A St Ninian’s Lower School
No N/A In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.
More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at https://www.inforights.im/contact-us/
Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi