Collective Worship and Prayer
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. Pupils also learn more prayers appropriate to their age group. Please click on the Academy Progression of Prayers to see what each year group learns:Prayer Progression
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. The Chaplaincy Team also devised a new school prayer for the 25/26 Academic year, which is accompanied with sign language.
Please see our Prayer and Liturgy policy: Prayer And Liturgy Policy
Celebrations of the Word-Collective Worship
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.
