Our School

Worship

Every day, we end the day with an act of worship in school. This is a lovely way to end the day, as the whole school comes together, which the staff and children enjoy very much. As a church school, our acts of worship are of a Christian nature. Acts of worship are conducted in a reflective atmosphere and are led by the Headteacher, other staff members, representatives from local churches or the children. Services for Easter, Christmas and Harvest are held at Holy Immanuel Church, Fauls, are led by Rev. Sue Armstrong and are attended by all children; parents and other family members are also most welcome to attend. Clubs, such as Bible Craft, support the our Collective Worship by following similar themes.

On a regular basis, worship takes place in classes, led by the class teacher or pupils. Children take part in activities linked to the our value ‘theme’ of the term. Occasionally, this worship takes place in our new Spiritual Garden, where children can take in their surroundings and reflect in a peaceful space. Children very much enjoy leading worship both in class and for the whole school, and are regularly encouraged to do so. Bible Craft club helps pupils to prepare to do so.

Class Led Worship at Lower Heath

Every half term, each class leads a whole school worship based on either a story, current event or something inspired by the children. We believe worship should be inspiring so we include lively songs that are both traditional hymns and more contemporary in nature. Children use our whole school Windows, Mirrors, Doors structure to engage their peers and include them in the worship.

Children are often inspired by our collective worship; this is particularly evident during their class-lead gatherings. It is a joy to see them engaging in stories, often acting out either a bible story or children’s book to enthuse all pupils to let their light shine.

Here are some of the class led worships that have delighted us all!

Skylark Class:

Owl Class:

Prayer

Prayer forms a regular feature of our lives each day at Lower Heath. Whether saying our values prayers or The Lord’s Prayer, pupils respectfully and thoughtfully talk to God. We instill in our pupils that prayer is simply about talking and listening to God. Just as a child would talk to a parent, we encourage the children in turn to talk and listen to God.

As teachers in our collective worship, we provide the setting, the opportunity and the example for children in order that they can make their own choice to participate or quietly observe and reflect for themselves. Prayer always features during our acts of collective worship.

Our church leader – Rev. Sue Armstrong

The children attend Holy Immanuel Church in Fauls for Harvest, Christmas and Easter services, and Rev. Sue Armstrong leads these services. Children also visit the church at other times of the year to support their worship or their RE learning. Rev. Armstrong also visits the school weekly to lead worship. As a school governor, Rev. Armstrong monitors the Christian distinctiveness of the school and supports the school in continually developing this. She says, “Having been an infant teacher and Brownie Guide leader before ordination, I particularly enjoy my role as foundation governor and the link between the church and the school. My dog Merlin is a ‘Pets as Therapy’ (PAT) dog, who visits Whitchurch Hospital and also regularly joins me for Worship at Lower Heath CE Primary School. He loves his work too!”