Vision and Intent

Building Strong Futures Together

As a Church of England school, Collective Worship is an inspiring and integral part of our school day. It is a special time to bring the school community together to give thanks and praise to God. It provides opportunity for the children to consider spiritual and moral issues, ask and answer big questions and explore their own beliefs.  Our Collective Worship is invitational, inclusive and inspirational creating a space in our busy school day to practise stillness and reflection. It helps us to think deeply about the world we live in, our place within it and our gratitude for it. Worship is also an opportunity to reflect on our values in the context of our Christian ethos. Through our values of: -

• Respect, we encourage children to care about how they and others feel; to treat others kindly and use good manners.
• Inclusivity, we encourage children to celebrate diversity and treat everyone as equal and important.
• Understanding, we encourage children to build understanding both intellectually and emotionally.
• Resilience, we encourage children to be flexible, to persevere and to bounce back.

• Creativity, we nurture children’s creativity, imagination, innovation and exploration. We encourage children to express themselves and develop emotionally, academically and spiritually.

Collective Worship encourages participation and response, whether through active involvement in worship or through listening and reflection. Our Collective Worship Policy draws on guidance from the Church of England and we are committed to continually reflecting on our planning and practice to ensure that Collective Worship is an essential component of an education that enables all pupils to flourish and to ‘live life in all its fullness’ John 10:10.

Legal Framework

There must be a daily act of Collective Worship for all pupils that takes into account their age and aptitude (Education Reform Act 1988). Parents have the right to withdraw children from Collective Worship and suitable arrangements will be made to accommodate these children. However, as Collective Worship occupies such a central place in the life of the Church school and is regarded as a very important part of children’s education, there is an expectation that parents wishing to request a withdrawal will meet with the head teacher to discuss their concerns and requirements.