Collective Worship
At St Thomas à Becket, collective worship is central to the life of school and is the main platform for exploring our school’s vision. It is well planned and of high quality so that the whole school community is engaged on a journey of discovery, exploring the teachings of Jesus and the Bible.
Collective worship in our Church school aims to enable every child and adult to flourish and "to live life in all its fullness". (John 10:10). It will help educate for wisdom, knowledge and skills, hope and aspiration, dignity and respect, and developing community and understanding of living well together.
For many Christians in Church, worship is about honouring God and responding to the loving nature of God as revealed through the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We recognise that our school is not a church, rather it is a collection of people who come from a variety of backgrounds for the purpose of education. The family backgrounds of families, visitors and staff may vary and therefore collective worship is planned to take account of the differing circumstances of those present.
We aim for collective worship to be inspirational, invitational and inclusive and based upon Christian teaching and values. It aims to give opportunities for all present to grow spiritually, whatever their personal philosophy, or whether or not they come from a faith background.
Through collective worship children will be offered a space and a place for the telling of the Christian story. This will include being invited to participate in prayer, reading and reflection from the Bible, liturgy, sacrament and experience of the musical and other imaginative riches of Christianity. Opportunities to reflect on the beauty, joy and pain of the world will be given. Children will be given time to consider their responsibilities to others and to grow in our six core Christian values of friendship, respect, truth, forgiveness, thankfulness and perseverance. Time will be given for celebration, both for the accomplishments of school members and to mark the seasonal festivals of the Christian (and world faiths) calendar. All present will be offered time to be able to contemplate and develop spiritually.
Our children experience daily collective worship through a variety of forms.
Monday: Picture News worship focused on current events.
Tuesday: Worship through song
Wednesday: Whole school worship based on Christian vision, values and relevant themes
Thursday: Worship in Church led by Reverend Eleanor
Friday: Celebration worship with parents
Spirituality Statement
At St Thomas à Becket Primary School, spirituality is at the heart of our Christian vision and curriculum. We believe that all children are spiritual beings, growing in their sense of wonder, identity, and purpose. Using the simple model of Windows, Mirrors and Doors, we help children to notice the beauty and mystery of the world (Windows), reflect on their own feelings and values (Mirrors), and be inspired to take action for others and the world around them (Doors). Spiritual development is woven through every subject, collective worship, and outdoor learning, with both planned opportunities and spontaneous moments of awe and reflection. In this way, our spirituality curriculum nurtures confident, compassionate children who are fully alive, ready to flourish and make a difference.
Collective Worship
