Collective Worship Policy

East Wichel Community Primary School and Nursery 

Collective Worship Policy

East Wichel Community Primary School & Nursery is a non-denominational, non-selective mixed primary school. As such it is subject to the requirements of the Education Reform Act of 1988 with regard to the provision of Collective Worship. The above Act states that:

• ‘All pupils attending a maintained school should take part in daily Collective Worship.”
• ‘It is the Headteacher’s duty to secure this. The governing body must also exercise their functions with a view to securing this.’
• ‘The timing and organisation of daily Collective Worship can be flexible.’
• ‘As a rule, all aspects of Collective Worship should take place on the premises.’

Aims:

Worship is a process through which individuals and communities affirm those things which are of worth to them. It may be a moral concern, a shared ethos or an appreciation of people’s faiths and beliefs.

Acts of Collective Worship at East Wichel Community Primary School & Nursery aim to encourage pupils to respond, even though some pupils may not feel able to actively identify with a specific act of worship. The staff are aware that ‘Collective Worship is to be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian nature.’

In addition to this, Collective Worship at East Wichel Community Primary School & Nursery aims to:

• Provide all pupils with opportunities to consider, reflect upon and respond to aspects of human experience.
• Develop community spirit, promote a common ethos and shared values, reinforcing positive values.
• Reflect something special or separate from ordinary school activities and may be directly or indirectly concerned with reverence.
• Reflect the day to day life and concerns of all at East Wichel Community Primary School & Nursery, whilst preserving the integrity of all its pupils.

Organisation of Collective Worship:

Pupil organisation

The pupils are given opportunities to meet most days as a whole school. The weekly structure of assemblies is as follows:

Monday – Whole school assembly led by the Headteacher. This assembly focuses on one of our school values of Love, Community, Integrity, Aspiration and Appreciation

Wednesday – Whole school theme/visitor assemblies led by teachers on a rota basis.

Friday – Whole school Celebration Assembly led by the Headteacher.

Foundation Stage children are gradually introduced to Collective Worship involving the whole school as they become developmentally ready, which is usually by the end of their first term in school.

Collective Worship themes: 

The following themes are used throughout the year:

• The themes from ‘Jigsaw’ (PSHE scheme of work)
• Our school values Love, Community, Integrity, Aspiration and Appreciation
• British values
• E-safety

Stories, pictures and videos are selected from a range of sources to illustrate the themes. 

Content of collective Worship:

In order to create an appropriate atmosphere/environment for Collective Worship, a composer and piece of music is selected by the Curriculum Team. This is played for the children as they enter the hall and leave at the end along with a Power Point presentation about the composer of the term. Songs for singing are selected by the person leading the assembly.  A candle is sometimes lit which is the focus during the time allocated for reflection or prayers at the end.

Whole school Assemblies        

Sometimes they are led by a visitor from the community such as a minister from a local church , a charity or public service such as the police.

Many of the aspirations, and spiritual and moral issues raised in collective worship, are reflected in the Religious Education and PSHE which takes place within other areas of the curriculum (see policies for Religious Education and Jigsaw - PSHE).

Celebration Assemblies                       

One child from each class is nominated by the class teacher to receive a certificate for fulfilling one or more of the school values. Children are presented with a certificate and a golden leaf with their name on it, to place on the Celebration Tree in the hall. 

Certificates for other school achievements such as representing the school at a sporting or musical event are sometimes awarded.

Equal Opportunities:

While the majority of acts of Collective Worship are Christian, we also hold assemblies that reflect the traditions of other faiths within our school and wider community. We welcome visits from members of all religious groups.

Rights to withdraw a child:

The 1944, 1988 and 1993 Education Acts, uphold the parents’ rights to withdraw their children from an Act of Collective Worship (ERA S9 3).

Any parent who wishes to withdraw their child from Collective Worship will need to write a letter to that effect which should identify their reasons for such exclusion. It is the Headteacher’s responsibility to offer cover for that child during assembly times. It is also appropriate that any member of staff may withdraw from Collective Worship.

Through the school’s programme of Collective Worship and through the overt and hidden curriculum, the school fulfils the statutory requirements for Collective Worship as stipulated by the Education Reform Act of 1988 and the education Act of 1993.

Reviewed March 2020

Next review October 2023