Collective Worship

Intent

At Rowde, Collective Worship is the heartbeat of our school. Every morning we come together as one community to pause, reflect, celebrate and grow. We believe children flourish when they feel they belong, so worship provides a shared space where everyone is welcomed, valued and encouraged to explore life's big questions together. It is one of the most special parts of our day and helps us live out our vision to Learn • Grow • Love.

Rooted in our Christian vision, worship helps us explore the teachings of Jesus, deepen our understanding of our Christian values and develop spiritually. Inspired by Jesus' Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31–32), our worship encourages every child to flourish. Through stories from the Bible, current events, inspiring books and opportunities for prayer and reflection, children are encouraged to ask life's big questions, appreciate different perspectives and consider how they can make a positive difference in the world around them.

As a Church of England school, our worship is distinctly Christian whilst remaining welcoming, inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of faith or background.

Through Collective Worship we aim to:

• explore the Bible and the teachings of Jesus
• deepen our understanding of our six Christian values: Respect, Optimism, Wisdom, Determination, Enthusiasm and Love
• nurture spirituality through opportunities for awe, wonder, reflection and prayer
• encourage children to think about current issues and how they can make a positive difference
• strengthen our partnership with St Matthew's Church and the wider community
• celebrate the uniqueness and achievements of every member of our school family

Implementation

We gather together every morning to begin the day as a school community. Worship is carefully planned across the year to reflect the Christian calendar, our Personal Development curriculum and events happening within the wider world. Using resources such as Picture News, Roots and Fruits and high-quality children's literature, we help children make meaningful connections between faith, values and everyday life.

Each act of worship follows four simple stages:

• Welcome – gathering together as our school family
• Learning – exploring the theme through stories, discussion and teaching
• Reflecting – time for stillness, prayer and personal reflection
• Responding – considering how we can live out what we have learned.

Our worship is enriched through music, singing, artwork, stories, photography, guided reflections and opportunities for children to participate and lead.

Our weekly pattern

Monday
The Headteacher introduces the weekly theme through Picture News, current events or one of our Christian values.

Tuesday
We continue to explore the week's theme, making connections to our Christian values, life at Rowde and the wider world. Through discussion and reflection, children consider how they can live out the week's learning in their everyday actions.

Wednesday
Understanding the Bible – We explore the weekly theme through connected Bible stories and the teachings of Jesus. On alternate weeks, this worship is led by our valued Open the Book team or Reverend Norma and Richard Fergusson, helping children discover how God's message continues to guide and inspire our lives today.

Thursday
Reading Worship – We enjoy a carefully chosen picture book linked to the week's theme, developing both our Christian values and our love of reading.

Friday
Celebration Worship – Together we celebrate our Value Champions, birthdays and achievements both in and beyond school. This is one of our favourite worships of the week as we celebrate the achievements, kindness and character of our children, both in and beyond school. Parents are warmly invited to join us every Friday morning at 8.50am.

Throughout the year, we also gather at St Matthew's Church to celebrate Harvest, Christmas, Easter and our Year 6 Leavers' Service, strengthening our partnership with the church and wider village community.

Visitors regularly enrich our worship, and families are kept informed about our weekly themes through the Headteacher's newsletter.

Impact

Collective Worship plays a central role in enabling our children to flourish. Through worship, pupils develop a deeper understanding of our Christian vision and values, grow in confidence to reflect on life's big questions and recognise how the teachings of Jesus can inspire everyday choices.

Children become increasingly thoughtful, compassionate and respectful, developing a strong sense of belonging within our school community while learning to value the beliefs and experiences of others. Worship nurtures spirituality, celebrates diversity and encourages children to make a positive difference through their words and actions.

The quality and impact of Collective Worship are continually reviewed through pupil voice, staff and Academy Council feedback, observations and ongoing evaluation. As part of Acorn Education Trust's Church School Flourishing Programme, we work closely with colleagues across the Trust and Salisbury Diocese to continually develop and strengthen our worship, ensuring it remains engaging, authentic and rooted in our Christian vision.

We hope every child leaves Rowde with joyful memories of worship, a growing understanding of God's love, confidence to ask life's big questions and the inspiration to live out our vision to Learn • Grow • Love wherever life takes them.

Worship Policy