At Christ Church Primary School, we have a daily act of worship. Our worship usually takes place in our school hall. As we come into the hall for worship, we play calming music enabling them to be calm and focused. Collective worship aims to provide the opportunity for pupils to worship God and to reflect upon the values of the school, which are rooted in Christianity. The aim is not solely to educate, but also to evoke a sense of worship – worship being the gathering together of the school community to express feelings of respect and worth for God, our local community and our world, in response to God’s gifts to us. Our times of worship are distinctively Christian, but are sensitively delivered to provide children from all religions or belief systems opportunities to think deeply and develop their sense of spirituality. Once a week, we have collective worship in the classroom, when we think about global issues and events that have gone on in the world. We have a chance to discuss them, to think deeply and then to look at it through the lens of our Christian vision and values.
Our Collective Worship table is a permanent fixture in our school hall and represents the liturgical colours of the church year; this is mirrored in each classroom. At the start of Collective Worship, a candle is lit. This is a symbol that God is with us and is also a focal point for the children. Song, prayer and reflection also form a base for our collective worship.
Our times of collective worship are interactive and children have opportunities to take part by asking and answering questions, sharing thoughts and ideas and through shared singing. The Year 6 children help to support and lead parts of collective worship time by taking responsibility for the setup of the hall, running the PA desk and slides, and by leading the rest of the school in singing and actions on the stage. Some of our Year 6 pupils also take responsibility for the microphones, enabling all the children’s responses and contributions to be clearly heard and valued by all.
“Collective worship is a joyous and inspirational occasion. Meticulously planned, it develops pupils’ spiritual flourishing. A three-year overview ensures that there is coverage of Old and New Testament stories, and the school values are inherent within the planning. Challenging questions of meaning are posed. Time is always allowed for pupils to reflect on these. They are followed up in class worship, thus deepening pupils’ thinking. Local churches enhance the variety of styles for worship offered. Collective worship in the local church is highly valued by parents. Singing as an expression of joy is a deeply spiritual experience for many pupils. One said, ‘I find that when we sing, the sound builds up and it makes you feel forgiving and closer to God’. Music is an important part of the school’s spiritual development. Collective worship is entirely invitational, and pupils of all faiths attend. Prayer is an extremely important part of worship and pupils openly share their prayers. They talk of being able to talk to God. Staff say that this period of calm reflection sets them up for the day.” SIAMS 2024
Click HERE to watch some of our Collective Worship Songs
Collective Worship is led by our Chaplaincy team, our senior leadership team and by class teachers. We also have a team of visiting church leaders who often join us to lead sessions.
Here is what our visiting speakers think of Collective worship at Christ Church:
