Collective Worship
Collective Worship
At St. Martin’s C of E (VA) Primary School, Collective Worship is inclusive and distinctive in the life of the school and provides experiences for pupils which are different to the experiences provided in a lesson as part of the curriculum. Daily acts of Collective Worship are meaningful and they positively contribute to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural life of the school and development of the children.
We believe that it is vital for all of our pupils to have time to reflect and be given the opportunity to express themselves, sharing each other’s joys, experiences and challenges, fostering respect and deepening spiritual awareness so that they can understand the world around them and become well-rounded citizens.
We encourage our pupils to ask questions about the world and to reflect on their own beliefs, values and experiences, as well as the feelings, issues and beliefs others may have. It is important for children to see everybody as an individual and enjoy their own worship as one group without being exclusive to any particular faith. However, children with a faith commitment are able to worship appropriately, whilst those who are uncommitted can experience the act of worship. This level of inclusion is at the heart of every Collective Worship session that takes places at our school.
Collective worship gives pupils and school staff the opportunity to:
Engage in an act of community.
Express praise and thanks to God.
Be still and reflect.
Express the big questions of life and respond to national events.
Foster respect and deepen spiritual awareness.
Reflect on the character of God and on the teachings of Christ.
Affirm Christian values and attitudes.
Share each other’s joys and challenges.
Celebrate special times in the Christian calendar.
Our Collective Worship programme is planned based on a different Christian Value each half term. Learning opportunities are provided that deepen children’s knowledge about the world and are crafted to ensure that children have time to question and reflect.
Through Collective Worship, we are creating a generation of children who are provided with experiences which inspire them to understand, question and celebrate differences in thoughts and beliefs.
