Collective Worship
For us, Collective Worship are opportunities to explore our Christian Vision: 'Together We Grow: Together We Give' and its associated values. We value the daily opportunity to join together as children and staff to share together in prayer, praise and reflection. These times are led by staff, children and at times by visitors from local churches and attended by children and adults. For us, worship is not something that is added to the timetable, it is the 'heartbeat of the school'.
We work closely with Reverend Robert Simpson our Rector at our local church, St Giles Parish Church. We continue to learn from the ‘Open the Book’ team of parishioners who tell Bible Stories through drama, which the children greatly enjoy, and we also benefit from Ian Carr’s ministry to us from the Counties Organisation.
The week follows a pattern which includes a class as well as whole school worship. Each Friday we have a Celebration Worship to which families are invited, where we celebrate achievement both in and out of school and reinforce the message that our best efforts give glory to God. Certificates and trophies celebrate the values that the children have been showing, being 'Heart Smart' and demonstrating care and respect for others. We also sing Happy Birthday to the children who have had a birthday that week!
We want our children to learn and experience what it means to worship. We acknowledge that each one of us, whether child or adult, is travelling our own spiritual journey. We offer the opportunity to find a point of peace and quiet in the day where we can explore ideas, and learn from the examples of Christian teachings and aspects of other faiths and cultures how we can best live our lives. We use a variety of stories, images, music, poetry, songs and drama to convey meanings and messages.
We know that all individuals are equally important and valued in God’s sight. Our worship is inclusive and delivered so everyone present feels included, whilst respecting the integrity of the different families and backgrounds we serve. The themes we cover supplement RE teaching and include our Values, the Scriptures and the Church Year.
We are proud to be a school with a distinctive church ethos. We seek to work with our Church to serve our community, to cherish and nurture everyone in our School and Church families, and to forge links.
We seek to be an inclusive community however we respect the right of parents to withdraw their children from Collective Worship and Religious Education. This school expects that withdrawal will only be made following parental discussion with the Headteacher followed by written confirmation of withdrawal.
The school will provide a system of suitable supervision for children withdrawn from Acts of Collective Worship and Religious Education. However, no additional work will be set or followed in this time. Click the icons below to find out about all the different ways that we worship at WSG!