Christian Distinctiveness & SMSC

Children’s & Family’s Worker

We employ 2 days a week- Supporting Christian Ethos and SMSC implementation, developing RE, reflection, Collective Worship and building the relationship between  St John’s Church and St John’s Meads CE Primary School.

Collective Worship

We are privileged to receive Ministers from different churches who regularly input into our times of collective worship.  Every week children will lead an act of worship and will lead in input, worship and prayer.   We also encourage the children to feedback, reflecting on the acts of Worship they have experienced throughout the week.  Each week we follow a set theme which broadly follows the Christian Calendar.

Communion

Adults and staff are given the opportunity to participate in Communion as part of the school community and this is led by our local vicar Rev Giles.

Open the Book

We have two teams of volunteers from St John’s Church who support the school going in every month with an Open the Book assembly.  Open the Book is a nationally recognised curriculum that brings the Bible stories to life for the children and offers a chance for interaction and reflection.

Prayer

Children are able to pray and write prayers at our reflective station, which always runs with a Christian theme.  These prayers are then used in our acts of Collective Worship.  We also in our Year groups say grace before our meals.

Prayer Spaces

The chance to reflect on some of the huge events of the Bible, the things going on in this world in a safe environment and carry out a fun reflective activity, which can then be turned to prayer in a meaningful way is an amazing asset to our children.  We hold Prayer spaces in our library manned by volunteers and give every child in the school the opportunity to participate in these activities over two days.

Church Services

These are creative expressions of worship which the children participate in.  We celebrate the Christian calendar and at St John’s Church we hold services for, Easter, Harvest, Ascension, Christmas and a special transition service in the summer.

 

Church Ethos

At St John's Meads, we recognise the historic foundations of our school. The school has strong links with St John's Church and very much wants to preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church of England and in partnership with the Church at parish and diocesan level.

We aim to:

  • Serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice;
  • Encourage an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith and promote Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils.

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Collective Worship

Collective Worship is held each day led by the staff and ministers visit every week from local churches to take assembly. Parents are welcome to join our Family Communion (every other term), assemblies and are especially welcome to our special church services such as Harvest, Mothering Sunday, Father's Day, Education Sunday, at Christmas and at the end of the school year.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from collective worship if they wish.

We aim for our school to be a caring, Christian learning place, developing our love of God and of others, our self respect and courtesy.

This statement comes from our School Vision and refers to our distinctive Church School. Each colour of the rainbow represents a statement from our vision.

Assembly Themes

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development

Spiritual

Explore beliefs and experience; respect faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect.

Moral

Recognise right and wrong; respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views.

Social

Investigate and moral issues; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict; engage with the ‘British values’ of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance.

Cultural

Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain's parliamentary system; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity.