Riverwood Christadelphians
Riverwood Sunday School Guidelines
Riverwood Sunday School aims to ensure that Sunday School is a safe and caring place where children are encouraged to develop a relationship with their Heavenly Father by learning about the Word of God through singing, activities and teaching. We endeavour to serve both parents, teachers and children by working together within the following guidelines.
STRUCTURE
Our Sunday School occurs every Sunday morning before the memorial service at 9:15 am during the school term. The Sunday School curriculum is in accordance with our Doctrinal Statements. The music is Biblically based, God honouring and Christ-centred. It is also often memory based to help reinforce Scripture (eg. memorising Bible books, names of the disciples, Scripture or doctrine) or other hymns, choruses and songs that meet the above criteria.
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Co-ordinators
Riverwood Sunday School is co-ordinated by a Superintendent and a Secretary, who organise and oversee all administrative and logistical aspects of the running of the Sunday School. Feedback is provided to, and Spiritual guidance regarding structure and content is sought from, the Arranging Brethren's "Sunday school and Youth representative" where necessary.
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Teachers
All teachers are baptised Christadelphian members, attend our weekly services, and are committed to weekly ecclesial fellowship.
All teachers are required to hold a current WWCC, to complete the Riverwood Working With Children Training, be familiar with the Riverwood Child Protection Procedures, and the Riverwood Child Safety Policy and adhere to the Riverwood Sunday School Teacher Checklist.
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The Sunday School Curriculum
The Riverwood Ecclesia adopt their curriculum from the Christadelphian Sunday School Association, click on the link if you would like further information on the course content.
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The Sunday School year runs from September to September. However, new students are welcome to start at any time of the year. The following age groups are catered for on the CSSA notes:
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Kindy, age 3-4 years
Primary, age 5-8 years
Junior, age 9-12 years
Intermediate, ages 13-14 years
Senior, ages 15+
We also run Bible Study classes for older teens and young adults on a variety of subjects.
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GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS
To make the classroom a beneficial learning environment for our children, Riverwood Sunday School expects certain behaviour from students. Teachers, students and parents are expected to work toward a goal of mutual respect.
For Sunday School students:
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Be on time (Sunday School begins at 9:15am)
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Be ready to have fun and learn about God
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Participate in classroom activities
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Follow the teacher’s instructions
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Make notes and mark your bible as directed by your teacher
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Show respect to others in the classroom
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Speak in turn and listen when others speak
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Be enthusiastic and an example for other young people.
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Take care of the learning area (use materials wisely and help clean up)
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Students are not to leave the Ecclesial premises during Sunday School without parental permission, and teachers must be notified of any departures from the premises from their class by a parent/guardian.
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For Teachers and relief teachers:
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Complete the required Riverwood Working With Children Training and read the Riverwood Child Safety Policy and the Riverwood Child Protection Procedures
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Complete the required Teacher's Registration Form
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Adhere to the Riverwood Sunday School Teacher Checklist as agreed upon in the form.
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Be on time (Sunday School begins at 9:15am)
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Prepare and teach the curriculum provided.
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Advise the superintendent or secretary if you have arranged a substitute teacher.
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Check that any substitute teachers you have asked to fill in for you have a current WWCC.
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Ensure any students from your class who leave the premises early are accompanied by a parent/guardian if under 18.
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Ensure students are supervised until parents/guardian arrive.
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For further guidelines and resources refer to the back of the CSSA lesson book of the division you are teaching.
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For Parents:
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Ensure your child is enrolled into Sunday School using the Student Registration form
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Complete the required Riverwood Working With Children Training
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Ensure your child is on time (Sunday School begins at 9:15am)
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Assist and encourage your child to complete any homework activities.
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Assist and encourage your child to participate fully in all Sunday School activities.
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Advise teachers if you are going to be away or your child is unwell, or if you need to collect children early.
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Ensure you are at the hall by 10.30am to supervise your children after Sunday School, or appoint a guardian if you are unable to be there.
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Please assist to remind your children that they are not to leave the Ecclesial premises during Sunday School without parental permission, and teachers must be notified of any departures from the premises from their class by a parent/guardian.
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Corrective Action Plan
If a student does not meet the behaviour expectations, the teacher will inform the student that his/her behaviour does not meet expectations and will inform the student of the expected behaviour. The student will be given an opportunity to correct their behaviour. Continual disruptive behaviour will be reported to and discussed with parents/guardians. If an occasion arises that the safety of the class is put at risk due to a student's behaviour, parents/guardians will be contacted via mobile phone immediately and requested to remove the child.
SAFETY
Safety is a very important part of our activities at the Riverwood Ecclesia. For this reason we have put in place a number of structures and rules so as to provide protection for teachers, helpers and children in the Sunday School. All Sunday School activities follow the Riverwood Ecclesia's Child Safety Policy and all teachers are required to follow the Riverwood Child Protection Procedures and the ​Riverwood Sunday School Teacher Checklist
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Working with Children Check (WWCC)
All Teachers and Helpers must have a WWCC. They must have received their card before beginning their service in the Sunday School and have registered their WWCC number with the ecclesia via the WWC check registration form.
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New People Wanting to Volunteer
If a new person desires to help or teach in Sunday School, they will need to be baptised and have regularly attended the ecclesia for at least 6 months before they can help or teach, and then meet the requirements stated earlier.
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Minimum Supervision Requirements: Teacher: Children Ratios
There must always be enough teachers and adult helpers to cope with any accidents and/or critical incidents that may happen. A ratio of teachers/helpers to children 3-5 years must be 1:5, and for 6-17 years just be 1:10. For all off-site Sunday School activities, a ratio of 2 adults to 10 children must apply.
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Child Safety Training
The Riverwood Ecclesia require all Sunday School teachers and volunteers who work with children and young people under 18, to attend a Child Safety training workshop within their first year of teaching and renew this training every 3 years. Our online training module is available here, in-person training sessions are also held twice a year at the half yearly AGM or by request via Zoom with our Child Safety Officer.
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Child Registration
A parent will be required to enrol their child into Sunday School at the beginning of each Sunday School year where there is opportunity to outline any issues that teachers, helpers or caterers may need to be aware of.
Record keeping
A "Record of Attendance Form" is completed each Sunday by the Superintendent or Secretary to record who is present and cross-check all teacher Working with Children Checks and their current validity.
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Updated: 9th August, 2024
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