Religious Studies
Article 4 of the Treaty of Waitangi says:
“Ko nga whakapono katoa … me te ritenga Maori ngatahitia”
“All the chosen faiths and customary practices shall be protected” (Henare 2001)
The treaty gives everyone the freedom to choose and practice their own religions and customs. Our school whanau is made up of many different cultures and ethnicities. We have different denominations and religions too.
Clayton Park is a state school, and so it is secular. This means that it’s up to the family, not the school, to make decisions about religious education – or none at all if they choose.
Our songs and karakia are generally non-religious, or reflect the wider background and choices of our whanau. We respect the cultures, traditions and choices of all our whanau. We welcome church groups to provide religious instruction to our students if individual parents and families wish for this to happen.