Collective Worship

At the Deanery school, Collective Worship is a deeply valued part of our daily life together, offering time for reflection, connection, and growth. It is when we gather as a community to affirm what is important to us – to our school, our local community, and to our world – and to explore how we can flourish as individuals and live together as a community and before God.

Our worship is inclusive, invitational, and inspiring, nurturing a sense of belonging while encouraging pupils and adults alike to seek wisdom and develop spiritually. Through stories, music, silence, prayer, and discussion, pupils are invited to reflect on life’s “big questions,” strengthening both their faith and their capacity for thoughtful understanding.  We use the language of windows, mirrors and doors to help children explore who they are, how they relate to others, and how they experience the world around them.  More detail on this can be found in the separate document ‘Our approach to spiritual development’.

We plan our Collective Worship carefully so that it builds on our school values, the Christian calendar, and significant national and international events. Each act of worship includes liturgical greetings and follows the four-part model format of Gathering, Engaging, Responding, and Sending, creating a familiar rhythm that encourages reflection and response.

Flourishing through Learning and Wisdom:
Our Collective Worship is designed to help children grow in wisdom by connecting learning to real life, fostering curiosity, and encouraging deep thinking. Each half term focuses on a key Christian value, explored through Bible stories, engaging themes and questions that challenge pupils to make wise choices and reflect on their own learning journey.

Oracy and Reflection:
We recognise the power of spoken expression in helping pupils find their voice and deepen understanding. Collective Worship provides regular opportunities for children to share thoughts, prayers, readings, and reflections, helping them develop confidence in speaking, listening, and responding with empathy and respect.

Community and Connection:
As a Deanery school, we are proud to serve many parishes in the Aston and Sutton Coldfield area. Our worship strengthens our sense of belonging to both the local and global community. We welcome clergy and visitors from local churches to lead and share in worship including: Rev Ann our area Dean coming in regularly, Christian organisations such as KidsUK and our school parent prayer group. Each year group leads services at our local church to celebrate key moments in the Christian year—Harvest, Christmas, Mother’s Day and Easter—deepening our ties with the wider community.

Spiritual Growth and Stillness:
Each act of worship invites pupils to pause and reflect. Lighting our class candles reminds us of Christ’s light within and around us. Through song, prayer, and contemplation, pupils and staff are given time to nurture their inner spirituality and to consider how faith and values guide their daily lives. 

Collective Worship in Action:
Our worship themes are supported through weekly class-based worship, which links to current events via Picture News and celebrates achievements out of school. Class prayer activities allow for another opportunity to reflect upon and respond to the worship theme in different ways.  Each year group also reflects on “Big Questions” linked to our half-termly value, designed to deepen understanding as pupils progress through school and continue to flourish in wisdom and character.

We understand that our school community includes those from a variety of faith backgrounds and none. Therefore, the content and language of collective worship allows for different levels of response. It invites rather than coerces.

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Collective Worship; if you wish to discuss this, please contact Mrs McIntosh.

Our Collective Worship Policy can be found below.