Collective Worship  

 Collective worship happens every day and is a time where we meet together to learn and reflect. Over the course of each half term we have a different theme that links to our values and enables children and staff to explore and celebrate the differences and diversity found in the variety of forms of worship in the Anglican Christian tradition. 

Each day our prayer leaders invite us to pray at three times of the day: 

·     After morning register we say our school prayer;

·     Before lunch we say ‘Grace’ – our lunchtime prayer; 

·     At the end the day the prayer leader chooses a prayer from our class prayer books; this is a book which contains prayers written by the pupils and includes prayers to God about family and friends, leaders, those who are ill and also ourselves.

End of Day Prayers

Children’s Voices…

‘We love worship time because it’s a time for us to sit and reflect.’
‘I think worship time is important because we can learn from it and act in a similar way to the messages that are shared with us.’
‘It helps us make connections with our learning in class, like when we re-enacted the Last Supper; we listened to the story in worship time and when we recreated it in our classroom, we were able to understand it more.’

Collective Worship Policy

We are seeking to deepen and widen the experience of those of ‘faith’ and encourage those of ‘no faith’ so that they begin to feel for themselves something of what it means to worship. 

 We are developing a sense of community within the school, the locality, (e.g. local church) and foster the sense of being part of a wider community though celebration. 

 Since we are a Church school, in our Collective Worship we celebrate many different Christian festivals including Harvest, Advent, Christmas, Christingle, Advent, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Lent and Easter. 

  We are also an inclusive school and feel it is important to be understanding and tolerant of other faiths and beliefs so the festivals and feasts of other faiths and beliefs are also included throughout the year by different classes to fit with the R.E curriculum and topics covered.  

 Other Religions: 

 Sikhism: 

Harvir Kaur and Gurjeet Singh, parents in our school community came in to speak to the school in worship time about the Sikh festival ‘Vaisakhi’. This festival is particularly important as it celebrates the founding of the Sikh community. 

Faith Champions

At Woods we have a fantastic team of Faith Champions (worship leaders) that help with planning and leading collective worship. These pupils apply for this role and are appointed to carry out important tasks and roles within the spiritual life of the school. They bring us together in prayer; they help to plan collective worship assemblies; and support adults and other children in their class collective worship.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Role models for our school values
  • Support Whole school, class and key stage worship
  • Undertake regular training in children’s prayer and support
  • Assist in whole school improvement and developments of our Christian distinctiveness in school.
  • Monitor the usage of prayer areas across school.
  • Support classes in how to use prayer areas.

Qualities of a Faith Champion

  • Kind
  • Considerate
  • Helpful
  • Patient

How will our Faith Champions be supported in school?

We will support them in their role as they learn how to lead worship. They will learn about the importance of the key elements of a worship – gather, listen, respond, go forth.

  • Each half term they will meet with the RE Co-ordinator to discuss and plan upcoming worships.