Collective Worship

Prayer, worship and liturgical celebration are at the heart of each school day. Children are able to take part in prayer in a variety of forms: whole school prayer, group prayer, and private individual prayer which can take place in our classrooms, in the chaplaincy areas or in several prayer points inside and outside of the school. Pupil groups, such as the Chaplaincy team also lead prayer groups at lunchtimes, including the Rosary, Stations of the Cross and Divine mercy prayers in the Liturgical seasons.

Pupils experience a wide range of prayer and collective worship, including Christian meditation and Lectio Divina.

The school day is punctuated by our school prayers

Morning Prayer

Grace before Meals: this Chaplaincy team introduce a new lunchtime prayer each term- often being inspired by the Year 6 residential to the Briars.

End of Day prayer: God our Father I come to say, thank you for your love today. Thank you for my family and all the friends you give to me. Guard me in the dark of night and in the morning send your light Amen.

Our School Prayer

 We pray our school prayer together during whole school and class worship. In the 24/25 Academic year- the Chaplaincy team also wrote prayers for each class saint.

Dear Heavenly Father, Friend of all Children, bless our school here at St Mary’s. Bless the pupils and the staff who work in it. Help us all to do our best. Help us to be kind to one another and to be cheerful throughout this day. Amen.

Celebrations of the Word

Daily acts of worship are celebrated within school. These take the form of whole school, key stage and class acts of worship. All acts of worship follow the same structure:

• We gather together using music, actions or prayers.
• We listen to Scripture, readings and/or poems.
• We respond to the Word we have heard through actions, words or prayers.
• We go out, reflecting on the Scripture and how we can live this out through our words and actions- showing the mission for the week.
  

  Timetable of Collective Worship

  Monday – Whole School celebration of the word- led by a group of pupils and the Head or Deputy.

  Tuesday – Class Celebration of the word/ Lectio Divina/ Meditation

  Wednesday – Key Stage Worship/ Hymn practise

  Thursday – Whole School Celebration of the word led by a class

  Friday – Achievement Assembly with a celebration of the word at the start- led by the Monday group in following up the mission. class celebrations of the word.

Masses

With the Parish Priest masses and collective worship are planned for the Academic year  in the previous Pentecost term. St Mary’s school is blessed to have the church located next door and every opportunity is made to attend mass on days of obligation, Solemnities, Feast days and also in the weekday masses. Class masses have also been planned for the 25/26 Academic year. Pupils facilitated by their class teacher have the opportunity to plan masses and enjoy reading and singing at the masses. Every term, planned with the Parish Priests, the pupils welcome, and read at a Parish mass.