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 ourselves, 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 which enable the children’s responses and contributions to be clearly heard and valued by all.
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 visitors to our school who often join us to lead sessions. Once a week, Collective worship is led by class teachers in classrooms. This provides further opportunities for our children to engage in discussion in smaller groups.