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Chiddingstone Church of England School

Going Above and Beyond Together

Collective Worship

Prayer stations - November 2024

Collective Worship at Chiddingstone School

At Chiddingstone Church of England School we have a daily act of worship, grace is said before meals and children reflect on the Church School Values they have seen in action at the end of the school day. Worship in St Mary’s Church is an important part of the children's spiritual development. Our worship is Anglican and is led by: members of staff, our priest in charge (Rev'd Lisa Cornell), High Hopes charity, as well as children themselves. A lively, creative approach includes drama, dance and art work alongside readings, prayers and music. We use a variety of well-known hymns and modern worship songs supported by the piano or a large number of instrumentalists.

There are four main church services each year namely Harvest, Christmas, Easter and the Leavers’ service in addition to a weekly Act of Worship (AOW) in St Mary’s every Friday. These, together with Class AOWs, warmly welcome parents and family members.

Every classroom has a reflective area and there is a central worship board where the children can engage in interactive prayer activities and take time to think and ask questions. Every year we hold ‘prayer stations’ which help the children to understand Christian beliefs and festivals in a relevant and kinaesthetic way. Parents are also encouraged to attend these alongside their child. The school enjoyed Pentecost Prayer stations on Wednesday 12th June, 2024. We plan to hold advent themed prayer stations on Wednesday 27th November, 2024 (more details to follow).

We have a "Leading Lights" group of Year 6 children who help with various worship activities and with the creating and delivering of Prayer Stations and AOW. In addition, we try to meet with Leading Lights from other local schools to share ideas and opportunities.

We were very pleased with the outcome of our SIAMS report, November, 2024 (see below).

Our Church School Values

Courageous Advocacy

180521-courageous-advocacy-final.pdf

Leading Lights

Our ‘Leading Lights’ - Leaders of Worship make a significant and integral contribution to the leadership of worship, which is the heartbeat of our school. Their role in guiding and shaping the spiritual atmosphere of our school community is invaluable.

Leading Lights consistently demonstrate their commitment to the school's Christian vision of going above and beyond together as well as demonstrating our school values of hope, compassion, creation, forgiveness and koinonia. Through their actions and words, they exemplify these values and inspire others to uphold them in their daily lives.

Their role involves meeting regularly with Mrs Ralph as well as meeting termly with our worship governor, Mrs Braid. They make contributions towards the planning and leading of worship and prayer stations. During these meetings, they actively engage in discussions to develop their leadership skills with integrity, ensuring that their focus remains clearly aligned with the school's Christian Vision. They approach each worship session with enthusiasm and creativity, seeking to create meaningful experiences that resonate with students and staff alike. Anyone from year 6 can apply for the role, four children are chosen and they rotate every two terms.

OUR GLOBAL LINKS

We are delighted to have a partnership with Bondeni school, in Tanzania. They support us through their prayers and we have managed to support them through various donations. This includes raising money at our Harvest service, Christmas fair and Sponsored Music event in Term 4, 2024. We feel that this really helps us to live out our church school values and vision - to love your neighbour. The Good Samaritan story is our school vision and underpins all that we do, to help others and support them so they can flourish and reach their full potential.

Latest updates from Bondeni:-

purchasing a desktop computer
photocopier
17 desks (which will seat 3-4)
A photocopier machine so that exam papers can be photocopied enabling children at the school to sit important exams. This gives them hope and opportunity for the future in regards to further learning and employment.
installing a grill metal door for security for where the tech will be stored.