Collective Worship

Throughout term 1, we focused on the value of:

Week 1 - Aspiration

What does aspiration mean? In week 1, we explore what aspiration means to us and how children have the right to fulfil their potential (article 6 - UN Convention of children's rights). We will study the bible story of David and Goliath, reflecting upon what it was that gave him the self belief to achieve something great. We will reflect upon what helps us to have belief in ourselves.

Week 2 - Together we grow and flourish

In week 2, we revisit the parable of the mustard seed and consider what it means to grow and flourish. Children and adults will consider what they want to achieve this term and what/who helps them to flourish. They will consider, as part of a community, how they can help others to flourish.

Week 3 - Gratitude for harvest

In week 3, as we begin to prepare for harvest, we will consider the importance of nutritious food (the right to nutritious food and clean water: article 24). We will reflect upon our aspirations for good health and consider the importance of sharing food whilst studying the parable of the rich fool.

Week 4 - Learning together from Jesus the Teacher

In week 4, we will consider what made Jesus a good teacher and reflect upon what Jesus meant by "listen then, if you have ears to hear." 
We will consider how we can grow and flourish through ensuring we are ready for learning. We will reflect upon what makes us ready for learning, and what we might need to change in order to help us to fulfil our potential. 
Jesus said that we are known by our actions. Our leading lights will be leading worship and asking all to consider what actions they want to be known by.

Week 5 - Rebuilding together

In week 5, we will be looking at the story of Nehemiah. We will be considering the importance of working together as a community in order to flourish.

Week 6 - Developing Resilience

In week 6, we will consider how we each resonate with the parable of the mustard seed; whether we see ourselves more as a seed with potential for growth; reflecting upon how we have grown and how we can continue to grow or whether we see ourselves as a bird, being welcomed into a tree as part of a community and the impact this has had on us.
Through difficult times, we can go back to the story of the mustard seed, and remember that we can lean upon one another and how we can have faith that difficult times will pass. Our aspirations for growth in resilience will help us through life.

Week 7 - Kindness Together

In week 7, we will reflect upon the importance of kindness from others and how this enables us to flourish. We will study the parable of the Good Samaritan and understand that suffering and misfortune is part of a normal human experience but kindness from others can help us through difficult times. We will consider how having aspirations to show kindness, even when this feels difficult to do, will enable us and others to flourish, just like caring for a mustard seed will enable it to thrive.
 

This term, we are focusing on the value of:

Week 1 - Independence

What does independence mean? In week 1, we explore what independence means in terms of making informed choices for ourselves. We look at how Jesus showed independence when calling upon his disciples and how important it was that he had people he felt he could trust. 
We will look at exemplifications of independence, and how sometimes we can make the wrong choices, or choices that cause unfavourable consequences. We will look at the importance of learning from these important lessons.

"Just as a mustard tree has its own life, we have responsibility and ownership of our growth. Developing independence enables us to continue to grow as we learn important lessons from the choices that we make, enabling us all to flourish."

Week 2 - Remembrance

In week 2, we consider the importance of Remembrance as we approach Remembrance day. We will discuss how we can independently choose how we remember those that served and died in the war; whether this be through talking, thinking, drawing or painting. We will look at the links to the right to be protected from war and violence (article 19) and the right to share what we think with others (article 13).

Week 3 - Creating a fairer world

In week 3, we explore the theme "banter vs bullying" to begin Anti-Bullying week. We will discuss verses from the Bible to learn how Jesus teaches us to love one another.

We will consider how education can bring about positive change and reflect upon how children in Israel and Gaza are affected by war, and may be lacking quality education. We will consider how, as independent people, we have choices about how we can help those in need. 

This term, we are focusing on the value of:

Week 1 - Perseverance

What does perseverance mean?
In week 1, we explore what perseverance means in terms of being patient and not giving up when we find something challenging. We look at how Moses showed perseverance through his determination to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. We look at what might have helped Moses to persevere through such incredible challenges.

We will look at further exemplifications of perseverance, and how we need to resist the urge to give up, in order to grow and flourish.

"Just as a mustard seed takes time to grow, we need time to continue to practise, persevere and reflect in order to grow and flourish."

Week 2 - Epiphany

In week 2, we look at epiphany and the gifts that the three wise men gave to Jesus. We look at why this is such an important celebration for many Christians across the world and how they celebrate this special day. We think about what gifts we have that we can give to others.

Week 3 - The Four Gospels

In week 3, we look at the four gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

In the gospel of Matthew, we look at Jesus' first meeting with Simon Peter and how he tells him the parable of the mustard seed. We consider what we can learn from this and how God wants us to be the best that we can be.

In the Gospel of Mark, we look at how Jesus would respond wisely when people would try to catch him out. We consider our growth and development and how we should think before we respond.

In the Gospel of Luke, we consider the story of Mary and Martha and how welcoming others and spending time with others is important. We consider how we welcome others and how we show we care. We reflect on this to think of what we could do differently in order to grow and flourish.

In the Gospel of John, we look at the story of Philip and Nathanael. We consider what makes us a good friend to others and how our friendships can continue to flourish. 

Week 4 - Jesus brings good news

In week 4, we study the story of the woman at the well. We look at the kindness and love shown by Jesus despite the differences between Jesus, being Jewish, and the woman being a Samaritan. We consider how we can show love and kindness to all.

Jesus said 'love one another.' How do we do this? How does this help others to flourish?

Week 5 - Jesus brings good news

This week, we study the story of Zacchaeus and how he makes amends for his wrongdoings. We consider how we all make mistakes, however God will forgive us. Learning from mistakes is what helps us to grow and flourish. It is what will develop us as individuals and we should seize the opportunity for personal growth. We may need to persevere in order to do this, it won't necessarily come easy.

Week 6 - Lent

Ahead of Ash Wednesday, we look at the story of Jesus being tempted. We think about how Jesus may have resisted temptation, what tempts us and how we resit. We consider how Jesus spent 40 days in the desert reflecting on the future of his life, and what we might want for the future and how we may need to persevere to get there, or to resist temptations.

Week 4 - Praying for a better world

In week 4, we we build our Advent wreath and discuss each of the four traditional advent themes:
God's people - the candle of hope
We will be looking at news items from around the world which need our prayers of hope. We will be reflecting on the bible verses from Romans 8:24-25 which remind us to pray and wait patiently. 
The Old Testament prophets - the candle of peace
We will be exploring why peace was so important to Jesus and why he wanted to leave peace with his disciples. We will be reflecting upon situations in school, our homes, our community and around the world where peace is lacking and what we could do to change this.
John the Baptist - the candle of love
We will be considering how sometimes, at Christmas, there may be people who feel lonely and unloved. We will consider how our kindness can make a difference to those people. We will consider how Jesus showed that loving one another is important.
Mary the mother of Jesus - the candle of joy
The message of the angels in the Christmas story is one of the most joyful in the bible. We will consider what brings joy to us, and how we can independently bring joy to others.

Weeks 5-7 - Advent

As we approach the end of term, we begin Advent. With each day of advent, we shall be exploring a bible story and considering how this fits within the Big Story of the Bible. We will be adding these symbols to our Jesse Tree in order to journey through Advent to Christmas.

We will be making links to independence, and other Christian values and considering what Christmas means to Christians, and what is means to us as individuals.

We will be spreading light and hope during our Christingle service remembering that Jesus is the light of the world.

This term we are focusing on the value of:

Week 1 - Compassion

What does compassion mean? In Week 1, we explore what compassion means in terms of demonstrating kindness and empathy to those in need. We look at how the Good Samaritain showed compassion and explore how we can be more compassionate, particularly when it is more difficult to show compassion. 
In the parable of the mustard seed, all the birds sit in the branches of the tree - we explore how we are all welcome on this planet and it is our responsibility to ensure everyone is treated with kindness and is nurtured.

Week 2 - Fairtrade

In week 2, we look at the importance of fairtrade. We look at people struggling to meet their basic needs and through our developing compassion for those in need, we explore what we can do to help.
Jesus said, "do to others what you would have them do to you" Matthew (7:12).

Week 3 - Co-operation

In week 3, we look at how we can work collaboratively as a community in order to show compassion and support others. We explore the idea of community and us being one of the many birds in the mustard tree and how we need to work together to support one another.

Week 4 - Feeding of the 5000

In week 4, we look further at how Jesus shows compassion within the story of feeding the 5,000. Jesus saw the needs of these people and performed a miracle to support them. We consider what we can do to support those in need.

Weeks 5&6 - Easter

In weeks 5&6, we explore the story of Easter. We look at why this is important to Christians and empathise with Jesus in the struggles that he faced within the story.

As we prepare for our Easter service, we consider what Easter means to us and what we can learn from Jesus' teachings. 

This term, we are focusing on the value of:

Week 1 -  Respect

What does respect mean? In week 1, we explore what respect means in terms of positively affecting the worth of people, objects and the environment.

"13 People brought their small children to Jesus so that he could lay his hands on them to bless them. But the followers told the people to stop bringing their children to him. 14 Jesus saw what happened. He did not like his followers telling the children not to come. So he said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people who are like these little children. 15 The truth is, you must accept God’s kingdom like a little child accepts things, or you will never enter it.” 16 Then Jesus held the children in his arms. He laid his hands on them and blessed them."

(Mark 10:13-16)
 

We explore how Jesus shows respect towards all people, and what we can learn from this. We consider the different ways in which we can show respect towards people, objects and the environment.

Week 2 - Order of the mustard seed

In week 2, we revisit the parable of the mustard seed and discuss how a group of Christians, the order of the mustard seed, made promises to live by:

• To be true to Christ 
• To be kind to people 
• To take the gospel to the nations 

We remind ourselves that from such small things, large miraculous things can grow. We consider what promises we want to live by and how this shows respect to our local or global communities.

Week 3 - Express the mercy and justice of God

In week 3, we look at how we can respect others through showing mery and justice. We consider how we can use our voice to evoke change. We consider how we can be a voice to the voiceless.

We will be looking at specific charities who help those in need such as homeless charities and that even small acts, can grow into something great (just like a mustard seed growing into a large tree).

Week 4 - Hospitality

In week 4, we study the story of Abraham and Sarah being visited by strangers and we consider how we can show hospitality to strangers.

We look at how hospitality shows respect and within the mustard tree, any new birds that perch in the branches need to be welcomed.

We consider how we can be welcoming to new pupils, new staff and visitors to the school, and other situations in our lives.

Week 5 - Living prayerfully and Pentacost

This week, we look at what prayer is to people of faith and different ways to pray.

As we lead up to the Christian festival of Pentecost, where Christians remember the coming of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ followers. We learn about how the Holy Spirit is the gift that Jesus promised would come to help, support, guide and encourage his disciples.

Week 6 - Celebrating creativity

This week, we explore how Christians use creativity and art to worship God. We explore our unique gifts and talents and how we can build on these for ourselves and support one another. We will look at the right to develop our talents and abilities (article 29).

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