Collective Worship School Policy

CHURCH LENCH CE VC FIRST SCHOOL

COLLECTIVE WORSHIP

Church of England Schools are committed to offering high quality collective worship. They are places that recognise and value collective worship as central to fostering a sense of community and to expressing the school’s Christian Vision. Collective Worship is the relevant and essential component of education that enables all pupils to flourish and ‘to live life in all its fullness’ Jon 10:10

Rationale

Worship is seen as more than daily awe and wonder moment. It is the unique heartbeat of the school and is offered as part of a wider opportunity for pupils and adults to encounter faith by engaging in conversations about God, both as individuals and together.

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.

Church of England Education Office, Church of England Vision for education pg 10

The form of encounter through worship should be truly welcoming, inclusive and exemplifying the principles of Christian hospitality. This approach seeks to meet the needs of all, wherever they may be on their journey of faith and belief.

Collective Worship and the Law

Collective worship in community schools is grounded in the historical past and enshrined in educational law to be ‘wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character. In Church schools the requirement instead to reflect the Anglican status of the school as expressed in its trust deed liberates those leading collective worship to build on the rich, lived diversity of Anglican tradition and identity. In the same way as worship in churches is aspirational, constantly evolving and being re-imagined there is an expectation of a continuous, dynamic reimagining of what collective worship means in the Church.

Our School Statement

Collective Worship at Church Lench CE First School is driven by our strong Christian vision and is the ‘heartbeat’ of our school. Our vision is rooted in our deeply Christian foundations and guides our staff, children and community in all areas of life.

‘For with God Nothing is Impossible’ Luke 1:37

At the heart of the school is our belief that ‘with God nothing is impossible’, which allows our children to have high aspirations and know that they are part of a loving family. We have a flexible, child-led, broad and balanced curriculum where every child can thrive in a happy, inclusive and safe environment.

Who are we?

‘Love one another, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another’

John 13:34

Our vision at Church Lench CE First School is to create an environment where children and staff feel loved and are happy. We guide our children to become confident, independent and resilient young members of society.

Why are we here?

‘So in Christ, we though many, form one body and each member belongs to all the others’

Romans 12:5

We enable our children to support and respect others beliefs and backgrounds knowing we are all children of God and created in his image. We help our children to develop a good knowledge and understanding of keeping safe in the wider world and protecting themselves from potential harm. We aim for all our children to make a positive contribution to the community and wider society.

How then shall we live?

‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me’

Philippians 4:13

We encourage our children to have high hopes, feel happy and confident to take risks. We foster perseverance and courage in all areas of life.

Aims of Collective Worship

Our aims of collective worship are to be inclusive, inspirational and invitational and to be able to enter into an experience with God. Collective Worship at our school is structured to meet these aims and follows a consistent pattern.

Objectives

Foster a sense of fellowship and community by bringing pupils together.
Create an atmosphere in which those who wish to worship may do so.
Encourage a reflective approach to life.
Increase sensitivity to life’s mysteries.
Introduce pupils to aspects of religious worship in an open and honest atmosphere.
Encourage pupils to express their responses in a variety of different ways: music, dance, drama, art, poetry, prose, etc.
Provide a ‘safe’ place for children to explore their ideas and beliefs and express these, showing compassion towards others who might have different views.

For the Pupils:

We also intend that Collective Worship contributes to the development of the pupil as a ‘whole’ person by providing opportunities to:

worship in a safe environment
consider spiritual and moral issues
develop their own spirituality
reinforce positive attitudes and promote perseverance
participate and respond
reflect on what it means to be human
reflect upon Christian Values and how to show these in our everyday lives
learn about the teachings of Jesus Christ as well as exploring other faiths and ideas
fostering respect and understanding of others views, opinions and faiths
understand they have a responsibility for the world around them and how they can have a positive impact on the local, national and international community in which they live
to have high hopes for themselves and the world around them, and to understand that Christians find hope through Jesus Christ
to have a deep understanding of the ‘Big Story’ of the bible and understand how this relates to them in school and in the wider world

For the staff:

Collective Worship also contributes to the daily lives of the staff and visitors (students etc.) by providing opportunities to:

worship in a safe environment
consider spiritual and moral issues
develop their own spirituality
promote perseverance and positive attitudes to the children
reflect on what it means to be human
model to the children their own ideas and beliefs in a safe way
to have a deeper understanding of the ‘Big Story’ of the bible and how this relates to their everyday lives in school and in the wider community

Pattern for Collective Worship

During the week, the head teacher will usually lead collective worship for 20 minutes a day in the school hall at 3pm before children go home. The reason for this time is to collect children and staff at the end of the day to reflect, listen and discuss important themes linked to our vision and values. Every two weeks the children are invited to worship in the local church, which is lead, by the clergy in the form of ‘Open the Book’. There is also a worship committee which is formed each term incorporating a small group of Year 5 children who will lead worship approximately 6 times in the term. Our worship always maintains its integrity of Anglican Worship.

The Contribution of Collective Worship to aspects of the Curriculum

Collective Worship time is distinct from curriculum time. However at Church Lench C E First School, Collective Worship will at times feature aspects of the curriculum, which will enhance the experiences of pupils by reflecting on the work done in classes. At times, Collective Worship will enrich classwork through its consideration of subject matter from different perspectives. The provision of opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is in line with school policy, which informs our practice. To ensure Collective Worship provides opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development we ensure it addresses a wide variety of themes and topics, use diverse stimuli and resources and provide pupils with the opportunity to ‘respond’ on their own level.

Our Christian values are interwoven into our broader curriculum. Collective Worship gives another area where children can see these being promoted, modelled and discussed ensuring that they have a deep understanding of Christian values and where these ideas and values come from.

During Collective Worship, we also explore other faiths and this links with our Religious Education curriculum as well as linking with their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It allows children to learn about other religions and faiths and fosters a compassionate and respectful environment in which to do this. Leaders of other faiths have visited us in school and this has contributed to the children’s education of the world around them.

Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating Collective Worship

Worship is planned throughout the year to take into account the Christian calendar and includes identification of values, Bible stories and readings, songs and prayers. The planning of day-to-day worship is linked to the publications, ‘Roots and Fruits, ‘Values for Life’ and different publications of the Bible. Stories, discussions and feedback linked to the assemblies are collected in a school worship book, which can be found in the hall.

Every half term the school focuses on a particular value, which is carefully planned to incorporate important Christian festivals and special times of the year. There are 18 values in total, which are addressed over a three-year rolling programme.

During collective worship we encourage the children to think about their own ideas and thoughts linked to key stories and questions. This reflective time enables children to become independent thinkers and encourage them to be more resilient as they understand there is no right or wrong answer.

We enable the children to ‘dig deeper’ into Christian teachings and the ‘Big Story’ of the Bible as well as into the true meaning of our Christian Values, paying specific attention to our core values of hope, responsibility, perseverance, compassion and thankfulness.

Each session involves a child/children coming up to say a prayer that they have created. This is often linked to the value(s) we have been exploring.

The act of Collective Worship

For our collective worship to take place the scene needs to be set in the appropriate manner. We take pride in setting the altar table with 3 candles depicting the Trinity, the cross, the appropriate colour altar cloth and the Bible. Hymns are chosen to reflect the theme or value and praise God. These are discussed with the children so they understand the significance of each item and the liturgical calendar.

A variety of teaching and learning styles and active and interactive methods are appropriate in acts of Collective Worship. Any and all of the methods employed in the classroom can be used effectively in acts of Collective Worship. A variety of resources will also be used.

At Church Lench CE First School we follow a liturgical pattern of worship:

1)Gathering.

The children and staff are welcomed to the collective worship session using these words:

‘We have come together in the name of Jesus to sing praise; to listen to God’s word and to pray, so that we might share God’s love with the world’.

The children and staff respond with ‘We are welcome’

2) Engaging.

This is the message or Biblical reading/ teaching to reflect upon and can be delivered in a variety of different ways including story, drama or report.

3) Reflection.

During a time of reflection, we give the children and staff time to think about the story and the message. We discuss how it might it impact them… when have they felt like the character in the story? How can they relate this message to their own lives?

Time is then given for individual or collective prayer or reflection where children can talk to God. During this time the candles are lit ‘In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’ The Lord’s Prayer is said together at least once a week. We always close the following words:

‘May God grant to the world justice, truth and peace’

‘and make our school a place of love’.

Amen.

4) Close.

Children and staff lead out to a hymn or music and the cross, candles and liturgical cloth are packed away carefully.

If announcements are to be given at the same time as an act of worship then they will be of a positive nature, which at times may enhance the act of worship itself. Announcements will be made preceding the act of worship and a clearly defined break between them and the act of worship will be made. (A change of personnel, music, a moment of silence etc.)

The children, together with their class teachers, evaluate the week’s Collective Worships.

Withdrawal

Any parent who objects to their child attending an act or acts of Collective Worship may request that their child is withdrawn. Parents are encouraged to discuss this with the Head teacher. Any pupil who is withdrawn from an act or acts of Collective Worship will be supervised during that time by a member of the school staff.

Signed S Price July 2021

Review date Sept 2023