How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

(Psalm 133)

St Margaret’s CE Junior School is a strong Christian community where all unite and flourish. Our family is guided by God’s teachings of love, courage, hope and service, enabling everyone to thrive as happy and fulfilled individuals. Ignited by God’s Spirit, our children shine as a light in the world.

Collective Worship at St Margaret’s CE Junior School

We are proud to be a multi-cultural school community where children and adults share core values and work as a school family to contribute to our school’s Christian distinctiveness. Collective Worship at St Margaret’s strengthens our sense of unity.

Collective worship at St Margaret’s is motivational and uplifting. As a strong heartbeat of our school, collective worship is a highly valued, rich and integral part of our school day that teaches us to live well together, celebrating festivals, events and achievements as well as supporting the school family through times of difficulty. For example, during periods of COVID lockdown, collective worship continued through virtual means, sustaining the sense of unity across the school community and supporting children and families spiritually during challenging times.

You can find examples of collective worship below:

“In Church of England schools, collective worship is seen as more than a daily ‘awe and wonder’ moment… This form of encounter through worship should be truly welcoming, inclusive and exemplifying the principles of Christian hospitality. This is an approach that seeks to meet the needs of all, wherever they may be on their journey of faith and belief.” (Church of England)

Inclusive, invitational and inspiring

Inclusive, invitational and inspiring acts of worship enable children and adults, of Christian, other faith, or none, to encounter faith, explore big questions and develop their sense of spirituality through experiences of prayer, stillness, worship and reflection. Children and adults respect what each member of the school family brings to and takes from collective worship.

Children and adults reflect on spiritual, moral and philosophical issues through a carefully planned sequence of worship themes that visit and revisit our Christian vision and values, Federation vision, Bible stories and other Christian traditions throughout the liturgical calendar of the Christian year. Learning about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Christian belief in the Trinitarian nature of God and the big story of the Bible in RE lessons and collective worship helps children and adults to understand what it is to live out our school’s Christian vision and values.

Worship enables children to understand that Christianity is a global religion and that Christians worship in a variety of ways around the world. In sharing their knowledge and first hand experiences of other religions and traditions, children understand that Christianity shares values with other world faiths.

To ensure that children understand key messages, worship themes are chosen carefully to link with the children’s own lived experience, their academic learning, the school’s Christian vision and our associated Christian values of love, courage, hope and service. Collective worship also engages the children by making connections to world issues, events and causes that are of particular interest to the children, including their courageous advocacy projects.

Offering opportunities for children to reflect on moral values such as compassion, thankfulness, justice, respect, forgiveness and reconciliation; and to develop virtues such as resilience, honesty, generosity and integrity help to develop character and contribute to academic progress.

Pupil led worship

Children play an important role in the planning, leading and evaluation of collective worship. The Worship Group steers the way with this, modelling how all children can play their part in contributing this important aspect of our school day and Christian identity.

School Partners

Members of the church community (including, the rector, foundation governors, Open the Book group) regularly lead worship. Worship resources from the Jubilee Church, whose Frontiers vision is ‘More Together’, strengthens our school family and the broad range of inspirational worship.

Families of every faith contribute to worship and enjoy sharing their own beliefs and traditions, as well as in those of others. For example, families experiencing Advent and Easter trails together and contributing to Diwali and Chinese New Year presentations, which you can find below.

Diwali Day Collective Worship with a special visitor - Matt Western, our local MP - October 2022

Our Church is at the heart of our community and congregating at St Margaret’s Church enhances worship and spiritual development for our children, staff and families at key points of the liturgical and school calendars. Worship at Church is planned and led by the children and supported by our Reverend to deepen understanding.

Collective Worship Structure

To ensure a familiar and welcoming shared experience for all, collective worship in school follows an agreed structure, as outlined in our Collective Worship policy. Pupils and adults learn that Christians worship in different ways, for example using music, silence, story, prayer, reflection, as well as through the varied liturgical and other traditions of Anglican worship and festivals.  

• Welcome: A candle is lit on the reflection table and those in attendance are welcomed by the leader/s for that day’s worship. Music may be played to set a calm mood for worship and reflection.

         Liturgy: “May Peace be with you … and also with you.”

• Explanation of the theme: The theme of the worship is introduced: We join together today in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to learn about and reflect upon …
• Learning: A variety of activities and experiences are used to create a rich and varied experience. Information, ideas and perspectives are shared through Bible readings and stories, images; artefacts; moments of awe and wonder; drama; poetry; music.
• Responding: Responding gives all children and adults the opportunity to share their understanding and how they may use the learning and reflection from collective worship to ‘step out’ and shine as a light in the world as an individual or as part of the school family.
• Reflection: Children and adults consider how the Bible story, text, Big Question or other stimulus has resonated with, or challenged, their ideas and thoughts. 
• Prayer: An invitational prayer – this can be The Lord’s Prayer, the school prayer or another which is linked to the theme of worship.
• The Grace: Liturgy: “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us, evermore. Amen”
• What next?: Suggestions are made on how children and adults may take the message of the worship further that day/in the future.

Place and time for prayer and reflection is highly valued; reflection areas are prominent in each classroom and the school grounds. Members of the worship Group assist the RE Lead in monitoring these areas to ensure that they are inviting, suitably resourced and reflect worship and curriculum topic themes. Everyone is invited to connect with, reflect upon and share the messages that personally resonate with them.

Children have been involved in the creation of our school prayer that reaffirms our Federation and Christian visions and values, as well as reminds the children of the Trinity.

After a time of reflection and prayer in collective worship, The Grace is spoken with children and adults joining in with accompanying hand actions. The school community is also familiar with the The Lord’s Prayer. Prayers and a time of reflection also occur before the children break for lunchtime and at the end of the school day.

Prayers are displayed in the class reflection areas and Makaton versions are available to ensure that everyone can feel connected and included. Prayer is invitational with children and adults invited to listen, read, recite and reflect, making the prayer their own by saying ‘Amen’ should they wish to.

Enjoy reading and listening to these prayers below.

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”

(Jeremiah 29:12)

Worship Through Song

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”

(Psalm 100:2)

Worship through song and singing for enjoyment is a strength of our school. We chose Psalm 133 verse 1 as our St Margaret’s Christian vision as pilgrims, in praise of God, most likely sang psalm 133 as they made their way to Jerusalem to celebrate religious festivals. We aim for the children, staff and families at St Margaret’s to sing in unity as they live out the values of love, courage, hope and service whilst travelling life’s journey and flourishing together. 

Children study the lyrics of uplifting songs and hymns, reading, reflecting upon and discussing the meaning of the words and phrases. Children consider how the lyrics may understood by Christians and also reflect on what the lyrics and message of the song or hymn means to them personally.

Withdrawal from Collective Worship

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from acts of worship and this is stated in the school Parent Handbook. Parents and carers should contact the Head of School should they wish to withdraw their child from any acts of worship. 

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

(Psalm 133)

St Margaret’s CE Junior School is a strong Christian community where all unite and flourish. Our family is guided by God’s teachings of love, courage, hope and service, enabling everyone to thrive as happy and fulfilled individuals. Ignited by God’s Spirit, our children shine as a light in the world.

Remembrance Day 2022

Remembrance Day is a special time for the school community to reflect on the values of forgiveness and reconciliation. Year 6 pupils take leadership of our annual remembrance worship. They lead a lovely remembrance worship today, the whole school were engaged and learnt about what we remember on Remembrance Day as well as what the poppy symbolises. It was lovely to see so many of our school family wearing their brownie, guides, cubs, scouts and sea scout uniforms today too.

Remembrance Day 2021

Due to the Covid restrictions at the time, Year 6 presented a very moving Remembrance worship to the whole school using Microsoft Teams. All classes enjoyed watching the professional presentation from their own classrooms before the two minute silence at 11:00 to remember the fallen.