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| St Peter's RC Prayer and Liturgy Policy 2023.pdf | Download |
God is at the heart of all we do. Through reflective prayer, and liturgy, the spirituality of our community is celebrated. We worship God through our class prayers, school Masses, music, assemblies, class prayer and worship services, through our actions and through the way we live and treat each other.
We begin every week with a Monday Morning Praise assembly led by the headteacher, based on the previous Sunday’s Gospel. Children have the opportunity to experience and reflect on the Word of God, and start the week by sharing the ethos of our school as a Catholic faith community. Children who have shown commitment to Catholic Social teaching and who have been a witness of Christ are presented with a certificate and a Catholic Social teaching badge, which they wear proudly on their school tie. This shows how our children are growing and living through God and are always striving to be more like him.
Tuesday worship is hymn practice where children sing a variety of hymns and songs.
Wednesday Celebration of the word are celebrated by each class in their classrooms or in the outdoor prayer garden or chaplaincy room. These are led by the chaplains.
We engage in other forms of worship at different times of the day. This could be in response to the needs of a class, the needs of a child and their family or any issue that has been raised during the day. This worship may incorporate readings from scripture, traditional and pupil prayers, quiet reflections and reflecting on a stimulus (such as a piece of music, a PowerPoint or a story). Each class also has the opportunity to take part in weekly meditation sessions. Because our children experience prayer daily, they often compose their own prayers and ask for special intentions.
We encourage our children to attend Sunday Mass and support them on their faith journey.
Each week a class attends mass in church with the parish and we also celebrate whole school mass in school with the parish and parents.
What our children say about Prayer and Liturgy
Chaplains come in each Wednesday. The chaplain is very good. They tell us about the Gospel, light a candle and put things on a table. We learn about people like Nelson Mandela and how all people should be treated.
*We pray to God and say 4 or 5 different prayers each day. All classes have the same prayers. In our prayers we say thank you for to God, pray for people who are suffering"
*Other days the teacher will choose someone to lead the prayers. Names are in a box or ask for volunteers. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to but you can give out leaflets or put on songs. You have about a week to prepare if it’s a meditation. Meditations calms people down."
"Prayer is very important in a Catholic school. We pray for people we love, for refugees, for our families."
*Listening to the words makes you a better person and you are closer to God"
*We ask God to help us and if you are worried it can make you calmer."
*We enjoy getting to know the Gospel readings. It gives us thoughts and questions."
*You don’t have to make it complicated. It can be fun choosing pictures and music."
*It makes me feel calm and I speak to my grandad who is dead. It makes me feel better that he is listening."
*Its nice to listen to the Gospel and know that God is there for you."
" In assemblies we learn about God and new things. It’s good to hear other people’s thoughts and ideas and how they feel about things. We learn something more and young children can tell others about liturgies."
Our chaplains, Mrs Clinch, Father and other staff lead liturgies in school. The Spiritans also came in (they have great joy in their faith and they made us feel happier in our faith).
Two people from class are picked and they have a week to prepare a class liturgy. They read prayers and the school mission statement. They choose hymns and pictures to use. If you choose not to lead you don’t have to.
Feedback is given to whoever is leading. What is good! What can be improved! We also do meditations.
Prayer is important because we would miss the opportunity to say our prayers, learning about the Gospel, teaching others and preparing meditations. Reading the bible is fun and educational at the same time. I would miss speaking to grandad and God, Jesus, Mary and Joseph and getting closer to them. We would miss listening to bible stories.
It teaches us about God and Jesus and the stories in the bible. We get closer to God. It’s enjoyable being a Christian, getting the sacraments and singing the hymns.
SCHOOL PRAYERS
Morning Prayer
Father in Heaven, you love me; you're with me night and day. I want to love you always in all I do and say. I'll try to please you Father, Bless me through the day.
AMEN
Grace before meals
Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts
which we are about to receive from your bounty.
Through Christ our Lord
Amen
Grace after meals
We give you thanks, Almighty God,
for all your benefits,
who live and reign, world without end.
Amen
Home time prayer for KS1
God our Father I've come to say: Thank you for your love today. Thank you for my family and all the friends you give to me. Guard me in the dark of night and in the morning send your light.
Dear Jesus help me to be a good little child from my head to my heart I'll love you always
AMEN
Home time for KS2
God our Father I've come to say: Thank you for your love today. Thank you for my family and all the friends you give to me. Guard me in the dark of night and in the morning send your light.
AMEN
Below are prayer books for each year group detailing the prayers we teach our children.
