The Law 1994 Circular 1/94 can be found here
Aims
‘Collective worship in schools should aim to provide the opportunity for pupils to:
- worship God
- to consider spiritual and moral issues and to explore their own beliefs
- to encourage participation and response, whether through active involvement in the presentation of worship or through listening to and joining in the worship offered
- to develop community spirit, promote a common ethos and shared values, and reinforce positive attitudes.’
Collective worship is the unique heartbeat of a Church school and is offered as part of a wider opportunity for pupils and adults to encounter faith by engaging in conversations about God, both as individuals and together. This document, principally for Church of England schools, draws on our Vision for Education to set out an approach to Collective Worship.
Collective worship in CE schools 2021 guidance document: Inclusive, Invitational, Inspiring
Collective Worship sample policy
Other resources:
Picture News Teaching Resources for Assemblies | Picture News (picture-news.co.uk)
Jumping Fish resources from Gloucester Diocese: Jumping Fish Publications
The Stapleford Centre: Free resources to support collective worship alongside its wealth of subscription-accessed materials.
Swindon SACRE Collective Worship Guidance
Bristol SACRE Collective Worship Guidance
South Gloucestershire Collective Worship resource pack
Why including little ones is good
Involving pupils in collective worship
Spirituality could be defined in several ways:
- Being fully aware of one’s self
- Aesthetic or ethical awareness and attentiveness to external and others
- Religious devotion
The 2023 SIAMS Framework inspects a school’s understanding and implementation of spirituality as a central part of its ‘deeply rooted Christian vision’.
Further Reading
Children’s spirituality by Rebecca Nye
Children and Spirituality by Brendan Hyde
Let the Children Lead: Exploring Children’s Spirituality Today by Elizabeth DeGaynor
SMSC quality mark Recognising Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development
Ofsted definition of SMSC needs to be updated: new document taken from School inspection handbook for September 2023
We have developed a booklist to support the intentional planning and provision of Spirituality across the curriculum.
Relationships and Sex Education
Goodness & Mercy – RSHE for Church of England Schools (goodnessandmercy.co.uk)Courageous Advocacy
The term ‘courageous advocacy’ was a new concept in the 2018 SIAMS schedule and is still a key part of the 2023 schedule. It has been widely welcomed by schools and this resource has been produced to explain the idea and to help schools reflect on how this might help enhance the education they provide for their pupils.
Christian Aid have written guidance on this.