Schools All primary schools are required to offer R.E. and hold acts of collective worship. Spiritual development, along with social, moral and cultural education, is part of the school's ethos and is inspected by Ofsted. While many families in this country have little contact with church, children still need opportunities for spiritual development, encountering the Christian story and reflecting on their own experiences. Church schools have a specifically Christian ethos. Most schools welcome visitors to lead assemblies or school services, talk about what it means to be a Christian and encourage church visits. As well, there may be opportunities to run lunch time or after school clubs, hold Godly Play sessions, bring in Open the Book or organise Prayer Spaces. In a school setting we need to be careful of our language and attitude. We are not in school to evangelise, and we must always respect children's own beliefs and insights. School resourcesPrayer: Prayer tree, Class prayer book, Thank you jar, Sorry boxes... Events: Workshops with storytelling stations and opportunities for prayer and creative response. Themes include Lent, Pentecost and Saints and Pilgrims. R.E.days: A day for the whole school to explore an aspect of Christianity. Themes include Worship and the Bible. Godly Play: Reflective storytelling, wondering questions and response in a school setting Reflective Space: Interactive displays around the school, Quiet Club, Prayer Spaces and more... Creating displays in schools: Ideas for those who want to start creating displays for prayer stations, events and R.E. days. Creating a focus: Ideas for entrance and worship displays GenR8: County based teams bringing Christian presentations to local schools through drama, stories, puppets and interaction... Prayer Space: A themed area for quiet prayer and reflection offered as part of the school's weekly Quiet Club. |