Worship in our school

In accordance with our Trust Deed and with statutory requirements, we have a daily act of collective worship that takes place in the school or, on special occasions, in the church. All CE schools are required to have a daily act of collective worship.

Collective worship is placed at the centre of the school’s daily life. Worship is organised on a whole school basis and led by clergy, staff, visitors and the pupils themselves. The process of worship takes place through a variety of media, song, story, drama, art, music and poetry. It takes place through class assemblies as well as adult-led worship time. Once weekly the worship in school is led by our Parish Priest. The focus of worship is invitational - all children and adults are invited to explore, reflect upon and learn from their own experiences and the experiences of others, question, develop sensitivity and a sense of wonder and awe about the world of which they are part.

The importance of prayer in our school

We pray every day together in a variety of ways. There are formal prayers during the day when pupils come together as a class to offer their day to God in the mornings, to bless their food and thank God for it at lunchtimes and to ask for God’s continued protection at the end of the school day.

The school holds regular assemblies when pupils are encouraged to pray and praise God through song and through prayers created by themselves. If a pupil wishes to petition God they are encouraged to write their prayer on a leaf-shaped card and tie it on to the Prayer Tree.

Pupils are given the opportunity to plan and lead an act of worship weekly. They plan and write prayers as part of classroom and whole school assemblies and prayer services. In every year group two children are chosen as prayer leaders and they lead prayer in the daily acts of collective worship.

Throughout the school year the school visits St Cuthbert's church on many occasions. We attend mass and we worship in song at key Christian celebrations such as Easter and Christmas.

Parents are invited to all school prayer services and join us in worshipping with staff and pupils.

We have our own school prayer:

Our School Prayer

Dear God
Help us to do the things we should,
To be to others, kind and good,
In our work and in our play,
To grow more thoughtful every day.
Amen

Our Church

We have excellent links with our church, St Cuthbert's, and enjoy attending at special times of the Christian year. The church is in the Anglo-Catholic tradition and situated in Philbeach Gardens. It was built in 1884-7 by the architect Hugh Roumieu Gough. The exterior is in red and black brick. The characteristic green copper roof was added in 1949 following severe bomb damage to the original slate roof. Father Paul Bagott is the Parish Priest and is a governor at our school.

As a church school we are also linked to the London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS).

Follow this link to the LDBS Website: https://ldbs.co.uk/

Follow this link to our church website: http://www.saintcuthbert.org/