Collective Worship

Collective Worship at St Philip's Primary School is an integral part of everyday school life. It provides an opportunity for staff, pupils and visitors to meet together to express joy and thankfulness, to share concerns and experiences and to affirm and develop the beliefs and values of the school community and the Christian Church.

Daily worship follows a rhythm of important consistencies which include: suitably chosen music, lighting our candle, sharing our Christian values, readings from the Bible or other relevant literature  and offering opportunities for prayer and/or reflection.

A typical week of collective worship at our school looks like this:

Other elements used may include music, drama, artefacts or listening to stories.

All these times are preceded by lighting a candle, which when lit, is accompanied by the words: We light this candle to remind us that God is with us; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 10:24-25 The words of the Apostle Paul... Let’s not stop meeting together but consider how we can encourage each other on to love and good deeds.

Any notices are clearly separated from the act of worship.

In addition to the weekly programme, the main festivals of Harvest, Christmas and Easter are marked with special services, usually held at St Philips church which is also the venue for an annual leavers’ service in July.

We deliver collective worship that is inclusive, invitational and inspiring:

Inclusive: We ensure that content is relevant to the children, their interests and current events.  We plan for worship to be delivered by people from within and beyond the school community. It is important that our approach to collective worship encourages our pupils to think, ask questions, consider, contribute and critically reflect. Our collective worship provides the opportunity to engage whilst allowing the freedom of those of different faiths and those who profess no religious faith to be present and to engage with integrity.

Invitational: Collective Worship at St Philip's has always provided plenty of child-led opportunities including pupil-led collective worship, pupil-led prayer / reflection and opportunities for pupil contributions.

Inspiring:  Worship is informed by our vision and values; it empowers and encourages children to have the freedom and agency to respond beyond the collective worship session (some responses are captured in the class reflectional books). Our programme of collective worship aims to motivate pupils and adults into action, into thinking differently, and into reflecting on their and the wider community’s behaviour and actions.

For more detailed information on Collective Worship please see our Collective Worship Policy

Collective worship is seen as more than a daily ‘awe and wonder’ moment. It is the unique heartbeat of the school and is offered as part of a wider opportunity for pupils and adults to encounter faith by engaging in conversations about God, both as individuals and together.

"We want pupils to leave school with a rich experience and understanding of Christianity, and we are committed to offering them an encounter with Jesus Christ and with Christian faith and practice in a way that enhances their lives...Collective worship in schools, including prayer, reading and reflecting on the Bible and experience of the musical and other imaginative riches of Christianity, provide a vital opportunity for this."

This form of encounter through worship is welcoming, inclusive and exemplifying the principles of Christian hospitality; an approach that seeks to meet the needs of all, wherever they may be on their journey of faith and belief.