Rationale

Spirituality is a powerful force that determines what we are and our self-understanding. It forms the basis for successful relationships, and shapes our behaviour and outlook on life, others and the world. As a school, we have defined spirituality:

“Spirituality is not something we can see; it is something we feel inside ourselves and it bigger than ourselves. It is about awe and wonder, asking questions, inspiration and can be shared or be very personal.”

The Church of England's Vision for Education states a core desire that children will experience life in all its fullness (John 10:10). At St. John’s CE Primary School, we believe that we need to give all our children the opportunity to flourish into the people God is calling them to be. We believe that it is essential to explore Spirituality by educating the whole child, providing opportunities to be still and reflect, to explore their own spirituality and to respect others' spirituality. Spirituality enables our children to be happy, flourish and succeed and live life in all its fullness. This aligns with our school vision that all of our school community can ‘Belong, Believe and Achieve’.

“With God, all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Intent

To talk about spirituality is, essentially, to talk about something which is beyond words. To make conversations about spirituality more accessible to every member of our school community, St. John’s CE Primary has chosen to follow ideas developed by Andrew Ricketts, Rebecca Nye and Liz Mills.

Across the curriculum, children are encouraged to ask, contemplate and answer Big Questions about life, religion, nature, science and anything about the world that fascinates them. Children become aware of the world in new ways: to wonder about life’s ‘WOWs’ (things that are amazing and breath-taking), ‘NOWs’ (times of stillness) and ‘OWs’ (challenging events).The children are encouraged to learn and respond to these experiences whilst exploring their relationships with:

• Self- The inner person and the way that shapes us as individuals; perception of themselves as a unique human being.

• Others- Spiritual Learners become increasingly aware of the concept of others, a growing empathy, concern, and compassion for how we treat others.

• World and Beauty- Spiritual Learners become increasingly aware of the concept of a physical and creative world- growing relationship with beauty through the ability to respond emotionally to experiences of the wonder of the natural world and results of human creativity.

• Beyond- Spiritual learners become increasingly aware of the concept of beyond- a growing relationship with the transcendental and the ability to explore beyond the everyday.

The above aspects can be explored through the concepts of windows, mirrors, and doors:

Windows (Encounter): For children to become aware of God’s world in new ways, with children learning about life across the curriculum.

Mirrors (Reflection): For children to reflect on their experiences; to meditate on life’s big questions and to consider some possible answers. This enables them to learn from life by exploring their own insights and perspectives and those of others.

Doors (Transformation): For children to have opportunity to respond in a creative way as a means of expressing their thoughts and convictions. This enables them to put into action what they are coming to believe and value.

Using each of these aspects, St. John’s CE Primary School has adapted the Ricketts Spiritual Development Progression from the Salisbury Diocese so spirituality is a core thread that runs throughout school life. (See Progression in Spirituality at St. John’s document.)

Implementation

The spiritual growth of pupils is not only dependent on learning in RE; opportunities for enhancing the spiritual well-being of learners are developed in every aspect of our school life. We support the whole school community to share this responsibility and to develop the shared language of spirituality. Opportunities are available for all to develop spiritually in our supportive and nurturing school inspired by our vision and lived out through our Christian values. Specific areas have also been identified which contribute to the spiritual growth of pupils.

Spirituality in Collective Worship

Collective Worship is the beating heart of St. John’s CE Primary. It provides the opportunity for our school community to share experiences, ideas and understanding. It is the context in which the language of spirituality, which we use as a school, is regularly and explicitly shared. Collective Worship provides the opportunity for pupils to become aware of the importance of reflection and how our positive and negative experiences can be formative. It also provides a real sense of being present (now moments) which are often linked to invitations to pray. Through daily Collective Worship, pupils are offered a space and a place for hearing the Christian story. They are offered an understanding of worship by being invited to participate in, or observe, Christian spiritual practices such as: prayer, reading and reflection on the Bible and liturgy and are introduced to different musical traditions. Opportunities to reflect on the wows of life such as beauty and joy of the world are given, as well as time to reflect and empathise with the ow moments of disappointment or pain. Pupils are given time to consider their responsibilities to others and to grow in love and service. Time is given for celebration, both for the accomplishments of school members and to mark seasonal Christian festivals and celebrations in the calendars of other faiths. In this way pupils are offered time to be able to contemplate and develop spiritually. Collective Worship in St. John's CE Primary is invitational, inspirational and inclusive.

Spirituality in RE

The Church of England’s ‘Statement for Entitlement’ outlines the aims and expectations for Religious Education in CE schools and guides this school’s approach to RE and spirituality. The role of RE is neither to promote nor undermine organised religion but part of its purpose is to provide structured opportunity for consideration of the non-material aspects of life. RE can contribute dynamically to children and young people’s education by provoking challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. It can support their own discovery of their personal spiritual journeys of meaning, purpose and value. RE allows children to reflect upon and share their own knowledge and lived experiences, plus find out about the experiences, beliefs and traditions of other people. Through this process, children expand their knowledge, begin to shape their own beliefs, form opinions and add breadth to their world view. High quality RE lessons at St. John’s CE Primary offer children opportunities that challenge their thinking through Big Questions. They critically reflect on their own religious, spiritual and/or philosophical convictions and are equipped with the skills to confidently discuss religious, spiritual and philosophical ideas.

Impact

Spirituality allows our children to love and respect themselves and enjoy good positive relationships with others. They take an interest and delight in the world around them and openly share their love of learning. They are open to what lies beyond, including in developing their spirituality, and for many, a faith and belief in God. Pupils at St. John’s CE Primary School can articulate the school’s Christian vision and a developing understanding of Christian and positive life values, including British Values. They are able to express, understand and manage their feelings as well as respecting those of others. They have a strong moral compass and engage in courageous advocacy projects. They are able to enjoy quiet and stillness. They possess an active imagination and show joy in creativity and discovering new skills.

Spirituality within the Daily Life of the School

At St. John’s CE Primary, we view spiritual growth as becoming more and more aware of one’s natural, innate spirituality. These opportunities happen throughout each and every day as children deal with delight, disappointment and the chance to be present with themselves. For this reason, every member of the school community, are familiar with the school’s shared language of spirituality and will respond to pupils appropriately.

Throughout the daily life of the school, including lunch times and playtimes, pupils know that their references to wows, ows and nows will be heard and taken seriously. They will be encouraged to reflect on these experiences and be comfortable about talking about the golden glue of spirituality. The impact of this can be seen in the behaviour of pupils, their relationships, and their growing understanding of self, others, the world and it's beauty and their developing idea of the beyond.