Collective Worship

Collective Worship is core to our identity as a Church of England school, feeding and sustaining the daily life of the community.  In worship the school family gathers together in a spirit of fellowship, sharing and manifesting our common humanity in the presence of God.  Worship provides a life-giving encounter with God. In worship, all members of the school, whatever their religious background or viewpoint, have an opportunity to listen, reflect and engage with integrity, each one proclaimed equal in the sight of God and each, in the act of worship, offered equally the gift of God’s love. In this moment of deep connection with God, with self and with each other, hurt and fear may be voiced, hope and longing expressed, joy shared, challenge heard, remorse felt, difference reconciled, new resolve for good made, healing and love found.  All these poignant emotions borne in the spirit of the one who said, “I give you a new commandment: love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13.34-35.)

The format of Collective Worship reflects mainly Anglican practice and the themes are distinctly Christian, partly focussing on the seasons of the Church’s year and Christian festivals, but, also, providing rich reflection on issues that affect all people: social justice, mercy, compassion, prejudice, suffering, healing, peace, hope, identity, responsibility for the earth .

The essence of worship is distilled through prayer, song, silence, contemplation, Scripture and Christian teaching centred in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.   Pupils are active participants in worship.   As well as being thoughtful, enthusiastic and responsive, they read publicly from the Bible, are familiar with leading in prepared and spontaneous prayer and have planned and led their own acts of worship.   Worship is inspirational, overcomes boundaries and division and embodies the Christian values essential to nurturing and nourishing learning.  Collective Worship is the heart of this school community.