Christian Distinctiveness

Our identity as a Methodist Primary school is something which we value highly and there are many ways that we aim to engage pupils with their spirituality. The following key Christian values underpin everything that we do here at Boughton-under-Blean & Dunkirk Methodist Primary School and often form the focus of our daily Collective Worship.

Forgiveness

To learn from our behaviour when we make mistakes and help others to do the same

Friendship

To care for every member of our school and our environment

Trust

To be reliable and make good choices

Justice

To be fair and do what is right

Perseverance

To try our best and be resourceful

Children are encouraged to live out these values in their own lives.

School Prayer

Our school prayer reflects our Christian values and John Wesley’s rule and is said daily in Collective Worship. It is also displayed around the school and children are encouraged to live out the school prayer in all of their interactions.

‘Dear God.

Help us to do all the good that we can.

In all the ways that we can.

At all the times that we can.

To all the people that we can.

Today

Amen’

Collective Worship

Collective Worship puts our Christian ethos at the very heart of what we do and who we are. It occurs at the same time every day and provides children and staff with the opportunity to reflect upon and engage with a Christian Value. Collective Worship is led by the head teacher, all members of teaching staff and regular visitors including local Methodist Ministers. Collective Worship always includes opportunities for reflection, prayer, participation and worship through song. Each week includes one session that gives children the chance to worship solely through song. This reflects and supports the belief that all Methodists are born in song and is an important way to share and celebrate the Methodist faith. Our week ends with a Celebration Assembly in which those children who have demonstrated the key values, and are therefore role models, are recognised.

The focus for Collective Worship changes termly and follows a three year planning cycle. In addition to the key school values (in bold text) other important Christian values are also included. Whilst each term has one focus, it is often the case that more than one value is reflected upon in the stories shared in Collective Worship.

	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Year A	Courage	Responsibility	Forgiveness	Compassion	Truthfulness	Wisdom
Year B	Respect & Reverence	Trust	Generosity	Hope	Justice	Humility
Year C	Friendship	Service	Thankfulness	Peace	Creativity	Perseverance

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Our Christian Values in Action

We offer a range of ways for children to engage with their spirituality this may be through:

Prayer

Prayer is an incredibly important element of life here at Boughton-under-Blean & Dunkirk Methodist Primary School. We use prayer every day during worship, through reflective spaces and before lunch. The children are also regularly involved in writing and sharing their own prayers during worship.

Personal Reflection

Each Collective Worship session includes the chance for children to reflect on Christian values and apply them to their own lives and experiences. Reflection or prayer spaces can be found around school and children are encouraged to engage with these spaces in any way that they find most comfortable.

Evaluating Worship

We regularly evaluate our worship and involve staff, governors and children in this evaluation process. Doing so helps us to monitor the quality, content and relevance of our Collective Worship.

Participating in Collective Worship

Children are actively encouraged to have a role in Collective Worship. Children often share prayers that they have written and their own personal reflections. Participation through drama is regularly included in Collective Worship and gives children the opportunity to further their understanding of a story through watching or taking part in role-play. Our Worship Warriors plan and deliver termly collective worships.

Choral Worship

As a Methodist school, the tradition of worship through singing is incredibly important at Boughton-under-Blean & Dunkirk Methodist Primary School. Children and staff are both involved in choosing hymns to accompany weekly themes and for key services through the year. Children are encouraged to sing with enthusiasm and learn or create actions to different hymns. We have a very active choir, who perform at school and national events and in our community. Our Worship Warriors lead the singing with actions every week.

Charity & Our Role in the Community

Charity and fundraising is an important part of how we actively ‘do all of the good that we can’ and we often seek to raise money for local causes including local homeless charities and community foodbanks. The way in which we raise money is constantly reviewed and often planned by children through house meetings and school council meetings.