Collective Worship

Our Christian Ethos

Christian values and practice are at the heart of our shared life as a Church of England School and they shape an enquiring and respectful approach to everything around us. We have strong link s with local churches who contribute regularly to our schools programmes and we seek to learn about and from other faith-traditions in today’s world.

We are a Church of England School and our worship reflects the spirit of its Anglican Christian foundation.

In our worship we try to facilitate and enable people of different beliefs, age and ability and family background to share their insights and commitments with one another in an educational context within the Christian ethos.

Our approach is consistent with the general ethos of the school, and our philosophies as expressed in our vision and aims. It is also consistent with the policy statement of the Peterborough Diocesan Board Of Education:

"It {the school} should offer valuable experiences of worship which encourage children to seek to continue and develop personal worship in the wider Church family.  The incumbent and people of the Local Church should be frequent and welcome visitors, and in the same way, the children should be welcomed regularly to the church building and to participate in Church Life.  A Church School should seek to function as a clear reflection in the world of the values, relationships and compassion offered in the Kingdom of God"

Thus Collective Worship at our school is in accordance with the principles and practice of the Church of England.

The vision of the Peterborough Diocesan Board of Education is for
"Christian Education – excelling in quality, distinctive in sharing God's love."

Our teaching is based on this understanding and we see our school serving the needs of all children whatever their background – Christian or non-Christian.  Christianity draws its beliefs from the life and example of Jesus Christ.  He taught that we should care for all, regardless of creed, race or colour.  From this principle, it follows that each pupil matters in the sight of God and the school and its teachers will always care for the needs of the individual.

The Purpose of Collective Worship

To contribute to a sense of unity and community for the school as a whole.

To promote spiritual, cultural, social and moral development.

Aims of Collective Worship

To provide opportunity for an experience of worship

To reflect on values and concerns of the school community, the community it serves and the wider community in this country and throughout the world.

To deepen and widen a child’s emotional response.

To enable children to gain insights into ways in which people express themselves within their faith commitments and to be sensitive to those different ways of responding.

Objectives of Collective Worship
 

To develop a sense of:

• Awe, wonder and mystery
• Interdependence with the natural world
• Pattern, sequence and order
• Self worth and value of others

To develop an awareness:

• That life involves choices of belief, attitude, behaviour and relationships.
• That there are issues of meaning, purpose and value in life.

All assemblies/collective worship are based on the principles that they should be:

• Inclusive
• Educational
• Spiritual
• Contribute to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of children.
   

They include worship and/or Christian worship and are seen as special times where children can feel secure and relaxed and share with others to foster a feeling of community.

Monday: Head Teacher CAOW Christian Values/ Learning Zone/ Red Letter days 
Tuesday: Sing and Praise with Music Coordinator

Wednesday: RE Coordinator

Thursday: Open the book (Re-enactment of Bible Stories) or Minister

Friday: Celebration Assembly