Collective Worship is central to education in our school and forms part of the school’s overall provision for prayer and worship. Collective Worship in our school respects the diversity of belief and commitment, but it is Christian in character. 

 

Intent 

‘We want pupils to leave school with a rich experience and understanding of Christianity, and we are committed to offering them an encounter with Jesus Christ and with Christian faith and practice in a way that enhances their lives…Collective worship in schools, including prayer, reading and reflecting on the Bible, liturgy, sacrament and experience of the musical and other imaginative riches of Christianity, provide a vital opportunity for this.’ 

 

 The Church of England Education Office, Church of England Vision for Education: Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good. (The Church of England Education Office 2016) page 10 

 

Worship should be inclusive of pupils and staff of all faiths and beliefs or none, invitational where all are invited, not required, to participate, and inspiring all to reflect on their lives and the world, wherever they may be on their journey of faith and belief. Diocese of Guildford 

Implementation 

• We will share the school’s vision and how it underpins our shared values and virtues.  

• We will reflect on moral values such as compassion, gratitude, justice, humility, forgiveness and reconciliation; and develop virtues such as resilience, determination and creativity that develop character and contribute to academic progress. We will reflect on our School Christian values and show how these can feed into our daily lives as well as showing pupils how they link to other values in our communities. 

• We will help pupils and adults to appreciate the relevance of faith in today’s world by encountering the teachings of Jesus and the Bible and developing understanding of the Christian belief in the trinitarian nature of God.  

• We will offer the opportunity, without compulsion, to all pupils and adults to grow spiritually through experiences of prayer, stillness, worship and reflection.  

• We will enable all pupils and adults to appreciate that Christians worship in different ways, for example using music, silence, story, prayer, reflection, as well as through the varied liturgical and other traditions of Anglican worship, festivals and, where appropriate, the Eucharist. 

• We will enable pupils to develop skills through engaging in the planning, leading and evaluation of collective worship in ways that lead to improving practice  

These ideas are taken from The Church of England guidance  Worship Guidance  

Impact 

Collective worship gives pupils and school staff the opportunity to: 

• Engage in an act of community. 

• Express praise and thanksgiving to God. 

• Be still and reflect. 

• Explore 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. 

These ideas are taken from The Church of England guidance  Worship Guidance