What is Collective Worship?

At St John’s & St Peter's Collective Worship is a highly valued part of the school day as it is the time when we gather together to affirm what is important to us, to our school and to our world. Here, our school affirms and reflects the claims of Christianity underlying the aims, values and ethos of the school. It provides an opportunity for pupils to worship God, whilst seeking to be relevant to, and inclusive, of all. It reflects our Anglican tradition as well as exploring with pupils and staff a variety of ways in which Christians worship God.

Our Collective Worship is guided by our 4 key principles, and seeks to be:

• Invitational
• Accessible
• Spiritual
• Respectful.

Daily Collective Worship forms an integral part of each day at St John's & St Peter's CE Academy, bringing different elements of the school community together in an attitude of thanksgiving, reverence and reflection.

Why is Collective Worship important?

At St John's & St Peter's Collective Worship is highly valued and every effort is made to ensure that all children and staff take an active part in a high quality daily act of collective worship. Worship may contain many elements but we seek to specifically ensure that the act of collective worship is a learning experience as well as a spiritual encounter.

Through our various expressions of Collective Worship, we give each member of the school community an opportunity to:

• Foster a greater sense of community and global perspective
• Express adoration, praise and thanksgiving
• Affirm Christian Values and attitudes
• Develop self-awareness
• Acknowledge diversity and difference
• Be still and reflect
• Celebrate personal and collective achievement

What does Collective Worship look like in our school?

//Devotion: loyalty, commitment or dedication to a purpose. 

The term ‘Devotion’ is used to describe a daily, prioritised time, dedicated to our collective aim and purpose of being ‘God’s love in action.’ Devotion may take place as a whole school, in Phases or in any place or at any time within the school day, for example, as part of a circle time class prayer and reflection.

This plan shows what Devotions look like across the week:

Each week there is a different theme for our Devotions. These themes are planned by the Deputy Head of School and relate to 3 core strands: The Bible & The Teachings of Jesus; Fundamental British Values and Our School Values. We've recently done a series launching our new vision, and how we live that out in school.

Our whole school Devotions are comprised of many different elements. Below shows an example of each different element, and how it may look in practice:

 

Our Bible Verse of the Half Term

At St John's and St Peter's CE Academy, our Bible Verse of the Half Term is important because it unites our diverse school community through inclusive and universal values. Chosen to be accessible to all faiths, these verses offer wisdom that everyone can learn from. We repeat them in Devotion to reinforce the shared inspiration and guidance they provide. This practice fosters a culture of understanding and compassion, promoting a sense of unity and shared values that extend beyond the classroom into our school community. Our Bible Verse of the Half Term has been selected to also link with our School Value of the Half Term.

DEVOTION PLANNING

Our Devotion (Collective Worship) Planning at St John's and St Peter's CE Academy revolves around three main themes: The Bible & The Teachings of Jesus; Fundamental British Values and Our School Values. These themes guide our efforts to create a meaningful and inclusive experience for our school community. The Bible offers timeless wisdom, while our School Values foster qualities like Contribution and Joy. We also integrate The Fundamental British Values to deepen our understanding of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect. This approach ensures a well-rounded Devotion Planning that nurtures the spiritual, moral, and cultural development of our students.

Here is an example of a weekly plan that the staff follow. It is written bespoke for our children, our values, and our community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click the links at the bottom of the page to see full examples of the planning we have used this year.

PRAISE AND WORSHIP

Praise and worship are essential for our Christian vision because they help our children grow spiritually, improve our school culture, and strengthen our community. We use modern and engaging music from 'Worship For Everyone' by Nick and Becky Drake to make our worship sessions lively and meaningful. These songs connect with our students and convey important values, making our Christian vision real and inspiring.

Here are some examples of the worship songs we sing:

 

 

CELEBRATIONS

Over the past few years, Gas Street Church have hosted our school and helped us to celebrate significant Christian festivals. We love worshipping together and hearing stories from the bible and how they apply to our life. Our Faith Team also help by leading prayers and sharing readings.

Have a look at these videos to see how much fun we have!

 

 

We also visit St John's and St Peter's Church to mark special events in the Christian calendar.

 

Our children also helped Nick and Becky Drake at the National Diocese Leaders Conference in London. They led the congregation in worship, and as a reward, they got to travel to see some of the famous sights of the capital city!

 

Prayer and reflection

At our school, prayer holds a significant place in our daily routine, serving as a cornerstone of our Christian ethos. We believe in fostering an inclusive environment where all students, regardless of their faith background, are welcome to participate in our invitational prayers. Prayer sessions occur before lunch and at the end of the day, providing moments for students to come together in reflection and gratitude. Additionally, we offer opportunities for mindful reflection and thankfulness through practices like the '5 Finger Examen,' ensuring that students can engage with spirituality in ways that resonate with them personally.

We also have a central interfaith Prayer and Reflection Space that is open to all pupils. This is open to pupils at any time, and is a reminder of the importance of personal prayer in school life and individual spirituality. The prayer space is used by children during Ramadan, and often has activities linked to Christian themes or festivals. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spirituality

Spirituality is a core part of ‘flourishing’ as the mind, body and soul need to be nurtured equally. It relates to fundamental questions about the meaning and purpose of life which affect everyone and is not dependent on a religious belief. It is also based on the search for ways to answer questions about life and a search for identity.

At St John's and St Peter's CE Academy, our working definition of our spirit is our inner spark: Energy or fire which can be life giving or destructive.

 

 

 

 

 

Another definition of spirituality is 'paying attention.' Spirituality enables us to become aware of God, one another, the world around us and ourselves. We use this model combined with Liz Mill's Windows/Mirrors/Doors to help our children to reflect on their own spirituality.

What is a Spiritually flourishING school?

 

 

Parental Right of Withdrawal from Collective Worship

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from collective worship. If a parent wishes to consider this option, the Head Teacher should be approached. If there are any children whose parents exercise their right to withdraw them from worship alternative activities will be provided in consultation with the children’s parents. This does not mean that the children will be in any way exempt from the Christian ethos of the school which underpins the whole of school life. Parents are made fully aware of this when they enrol their children.