Collective Worship
Assemblies
Each year group has an assembly at least once per week, following a schedule of themes, ideas, and concepts. All whole school assemblies include elements of the following:
Biblical reference or Christian teaching
Reference to at least one school value: Truth. Justice. Forgiveness. Generosity. Respect.
- Recognition of the church’s year and / or other national events / days (Black History Month)
- Prayer and reflection
- Opportunities for the development of social, moral, spiritual, cultural or British values
- Reference to 'thought for the week'
- In addition to whole school assemblies, there are ‘sacred space’ assemblies/services for key events in the school year, such as Remembrance Day. The school encourages all pupils and staff to be actively involved in the planning and presentation of acts of worship (particularly for special events) and will use these as opportunities to promote respect, tolerance and social responsibility. On occasion, outside speakers will come into school to deliver assemblies on specialised topics.
- Award events celebrate the achievements of individuals and groups of students.
- Collective acts of worship are conducted in a way that promotes and supports Christian values whilst respecting pupils’ and staff’s own religious and non-religious beliefs and traditions. As an inclusive Church of England school, we welcome students of all faiths and no faith and we are delighted that almost all our students are able to attend church services and participate in the service as much as they feel able to. However, parents and carers have the right to withdraw students from all or part of collective worship and we respect their right to do so. Parents and carers wishing to withdraw a student from Collective Worship should do so in writing to the school.
- William Lovell Collective Worship Policy
- Tutor Time activities
- Tutor Time is a core part of the school day. It provides a supportive family community, which delivers opportunities for collective worship, pastoral care and personal development based on the school’s Christian values. Students build strong relationships with peers and staff through regular one-to-one conversations, which provide a foundation of mutual trust and respect. Tutor Time is a safe, secure environment in which students can explore issues in the school and from current affairs.
- Tutors will sometimes ask pupils to reflect on a biblical teaching during form time, using the biblical verse’.
- Prayer Room
- We are lucky to benefit from a dedicated prayer room. Here, students, staff and our local Reverend are able to use the space for prayer and reflection. The space is also often used for parental meetings as a safe, reflective and spiritual space.
- Visits to the local church
Students have the opportunity to visit St Luke’s Parish Church to come together in an act of collective worship and to develop their understanding of the Christian faith. We ensure that there is an opportunity go to church for important festivals and special occasions in the life of the school, such as Christmas Carol Services and Easter Service.
- Our aim is for our school to be a central part of our local community. Staff and students enjoy working with our local church in acts of community worship and community projects.
