Worship at Blue Coat

Every day at Blue Coat Junior School begins with Collective Worship. This is an opportunity for us to reflect, be still and pray together. Whilst Christian in nature, our collective worship takes pace in a variety of ways, is invitational to and enjoyed by all members of our multi-cultural and multi-faith community.

We also attend St Matthews Church for Christmas and Easter worship, recognising the importance of these times in the Christian Calendar. Collective worship gives our children and community time to reflect on our school’s Christian Values and appreciate the application of faith to their lives today.

“We are the Worship Leaders”

As a church school, we feel it is important to represent the children’s views on RE and Worship. One member of each class makes up our Worship Leader Team.

Some of their roles include:

• Saying our call to worship and dismissal in Collective Worship
• Setting up the worship table
• Supporting and sometimes taking a leading role in the delivery of Collective Worship
• Planting the tree in the Spiritual Reflection Garden
• Meeting with RE leaders to discuss RE at Blue Coat Junior.

Other ways we worship at Blue Coat Junior School

Worship Tables

Each classroom has a worship table covered in a coloured cloth relating to the Christian season, a bible, a cross and a candle. They reference our school vision, mottos and value for that half term and serve as a visual reminder and focus for children when worshiping. Our worship tables also have a range of interactive activities that promote prayer and reflection and encourage the children to lead their own private or small group worship.

Prayer Books

Each class has a prayer book where children and adults can write a prayer, which is then shared with the school community during collective worship. It provides an opportunity to reflect on our own as well as global issues, developing compassion and finding peace for the day.

Prayer Stones

Prayer is a fundamental part of worship. At Blue Coat Junior, every child and adult has their own prayer stone. Children take it in turns to choose a prayer stone and say a prayer for the person whose stone it is. This encourages the children to practice our values of compassion, forgiveness, peace, thankfulness, hope, friendship and respect through the action of prayer and enables spiritual development.