Parents
All over the world parents naturally desire the best for their children. CEIS desires that too. The CEIS ‘seek, question, explore’ platform is inclusive of all students and respects each child.
Knowing what’s best for your child
CEIS provides a refreshing and easy opportunity for any child to wonder, explore and learn about Christian faith, celebrations and values. Each term’s one-hour session is interactive, open-ended and fun! Read more about our session themes here.
CEIS is a safe option within a holistic education process towards lifelong learning. It’s a way of knowing, with no extra demands or faith expectations. Requesting Christian Education is a legislated allowance in the ACT.
As a trusted and respected service provider across the ACT, parents can feel confident requesting that their children participate in CEIS, in their own school, with other kids they know.
Say ‘YES’
Place a parent request for CEIS
Yes, I request that my child/ren receive Christian Education whilst they attend the public school listed below, as offered by the ‘Christian Education In Schools’ project.
FAQs FROM PARENTS
Yes. The CEIS service is for ACT government schools. Families of students in a government primary, high-school or college can place a request for Christian Education (and CEIS will assist in coordinating a provider).
CEIS can only occur in a government school when a parent requests it for their child. Once a request is placed, CEIS assists the school in organising the sessions and informing the school community. This also involves liaison with local churches to organise volunteer teams that are trained and coordinated by CEIS.
CEIS may be requested by speaking directly with your school principal. Requests can also be
made via the parent request form, which CEIS then directs to your child’s school. If it is a school that does not yet have CEIS seminars, please let your principal know in person that you have made a request.
Requests can be made at any time, and the permission remains in effect until your child leaves the
school or until you provide an alternative request.
The CEIS curriculum is available to all schools and based on the core idea that “the Bible is one big story about how God loves his children, and comes to rescue them forever.” Session overviews are provided to schools and parents upon request.
The term themes are:
Term 1: Easter Extravaganza
Term 2: Beyond You
Term 3: Bible Bonanza
Term 4: Christmas Celebrations
No. CEIS sessions are open to all students of any age with no prior understanding required. The sessions are designed for children with different levels of understanding and ideas. All thoughts and responses respected. Sessions are intentionally open-ended to allow students to form their own thoughts.
No, students always have a choice about how they participate.
Sessions are based on the Bible and may explore relevant verses using age-appropriate resources.
Praying may be discussed in sessions, and volunteers may say short, generic prayers relevant to the topic. Students are not required to be involved.
No. CEIS sessions are specifically about Christianity. However, the place of religion in people’s lives is greatly respected, and any discussion that might occur will be done in the spirit of curiosity and respect.
CEIS sessions are non-denominational and represent the Christian church as a whole. The content covers basic festivals and messages of Christianity.
Volunteers coming from a range of Christian denominations. All volunteers agree to the SU statement of faith (based on the Apostles’ Creed, the basic creed of the whole Christian church) and commit to working as a united team in line with the Scripture Union aims, beliefs, and working principles.
Volunteers are from local churches and have been approved through SU. This process requires an endorsement from a minister and friend, completed WWVP
screening documents, child safety training, and CEIS-specific training.
On the ground, each team of volunteers is guided by a trained CEIS staff member or a suitably qualified volunteer. The ACT education directorate also requires a school staff member to be within observation distance of each session.
If your child has questions coming out of the CEIS sessions and you’re not sure where to go, you could contact the CEIS coordinator and/or personally arrange
to visit a minister at a local church, who would be happy to provide you with more information and help answer your questions.