Our Church Academy -
Collective Worship
Collective worship at St. Anne’s
Click link below for Church of England guidance on Worship.
Our daily worship is a special part of our school day and offers the opportunity for the whole school community to join together and grow spiritually through bible readings, stories, song, prayer, stillness and reflection. . Pupils are given the opportunity to think and ask questions. They can participate if they wish or can simply watch. Pupils and adults are invited to pray if they wish to do so but equally the option is given to sit and reflect.
Our worship is regularly led by a member of our local churches. At St.Anne’s @Hewish, it is the Reverend Matthew Thompson of St. Andrew’s Church, Congresbury or Caz Carter who is the Youth and Children’s worker from the church. At St.Anne’s @West Wick, it is Reverend Andy Pearce and other church youth leaders from Locking Castle Church.
On Fridays, we hold celebration worship where we celebrate children’s achievements both within and outside of school. All teachers choose children who have shown determination and diligence in their learning that week and or demonstrated our Christian values.We also share children’s achievements from outside of school where they are able to tell everyone about their successes. We recognize children’s character too by awarding Hot chocolate to those children who always demonstrate our school rules and values.
In addition, our Children’s worship leaders ( Year 6s) plan and lead children’s worship every week . They also recognise children for joining in with children’s worship , sharing ideas and demonstrating our values.
We have special worship services to celebrate Harvest, Remembrance, Advent, Lent, Easter and the Year 6 Leavers Service. We visit our local churches for Christmas nativity services and our end of year leavers service. In addition to these, we hold class family class worships each term where the whole class plans, prepares and delivers a worship encapsulating the Christian value for that term. These are presented to the whole school and parents are invited to join us. It is an excellent opportunity for family members to join a worship and share in bible readings, stories, song and prayers.
As a school, we appreciate worship can be in different forms e.g. music, prayer, silence, reflection or Bible stories. It is also a time to be still and to reflect for everyone of a faith or of none. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from collective worship. As a Church school, we aim for worship to be inspirational and our aim is that it should enable pupils and adults to ask big questions about who we are and why we do what we do. Our aim is that worship may inspire pupils and adults into action, into thinking differently, and into reflecting on their and the wider community’s behaviour and actions.
Our Christian values
Each term, we have a focus on a different Christian value which is used in our classrooms and our worships .In each classroom there is a display to remind all children and staff of the value for the term. The values are embedded and taught explicitly through our Collective Worship time, but they are also embedded across our curriculum.
Children have regular opportunities to reflect on each value and to develop an understanding of the value in action. We believe these values are empowering our pupils to develop their characters and grow empathy and respect for others. They develop their spirituality. The values help to guide them in personal development as effective learners and good citizens.
Our Hall display showing the values being taught each term which can be referred to by all staff as reminders.
2023-24 Values:
Thankfulness, Respect, Friendship, Forgiveness, Trust, Service