Prayer and Liturgy
At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, we are deeply committed to nurturing the spiritual development of every child through a rich and diverse programme of prayer and liturgical celebration. Our provision is guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church and our mission to grow together as a family that pray and learn.
To ensure a meaningful and inclusive approach to worship and prayer, the school is committed to:
– Fulfilling its statutory obligations with regard to daily acts of collective worship, in accordance with the requirements of the Catholic Education Service and the Diocese.
– Providing a variety of prayer and liturgical experiences that are developmentally appropriate, allowing children to encounter and participate in worship in ways that are meaningful to their age and stage of faith.
– Developing a shared repertoire of traditional and contemporary prayers and liturgical music, enabling pupils to engage in communal worship with confidence and reverence.
– Encouraging progressive pupil participation, ensuring that as children grow, they take increasing responsibility for planning, leading, and reflecting upon prayer and liturgical celebrations.
– Prioritising the celebration of the Eucharist, particularly on Holy Days of Obligation and other significant dates in the Church’s and school’s liturgical calendar, fostering a deep reverence for the Mass as the source and summit of Catholic life.
– Promoting the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a vital part of the liturgical year, especially during Advent and Lent, providing opportunities for children to encounter God’s mercy and forgiveness.
– St Mary’s seeks to create a prayerful, reflective, and vibrant worshipping community, where Christ is at the centre of all we do.
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Whole School Gospel Assembly |
| Tuesday | Teacher- led in class Celebration of the Word |
| Wednesday | Musical Worship |
| Thursday | Child- led in class Celebration of the Word |
| Friday | Whole school Celebration Assesmbly |
Our families gather with us…
Each half term, we invite our parents and families into school to join us for our Class Celebration of the Word in our ‘Stay and Pray sessions.
During these special gatherings, the children share prayers, readings, and reflections they have been learning in class. It is a wonderful opportunity for families to celebrate faith together, see the children’s progress, and feel part of the school’s prayer and worship life.
Daily acts of worship…
At St Mary’s, we love God and worship Him daily. Jesus taught us how to pray, and so we share in prayer and worship as a school family, in different ways and at different times during the week. Our Mission Statement is “Our School, Our Family, Modelled on Christ ” and this encourages us to grow closer to God, and believe that He is with us in everything that we do.
Sharing the Gospel…
We begin every week with a Gospel assembly. We are fully aware that not all of our children attend Sunday Mass. Therefore, 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. Throughout the week, the children will have separate Key Stage Assemblies. The children will follow along with The Mark Ten Mission occasions and they love watching these episodes and get to join in with prayer, scripture and song.
Child led Celebration of the Word…
Each class also gathers throughout the week for a child led Celebration of the Word. The children plan their own worships, choosing scriptures, prayer and activities and reflect on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Every classroom also has their own individual worship area where the children are encouraged to reflect and have personal worship opportunities each day. On Fridays, we gather as a whole school community for our Celebration Assembly where children’s achievements from the week are celebrated with a special award given in recognition of those who have showed our school motto in their actions.
Weekly Musical Praise…
Each week, the children come together for Musical Praise, a joyful and uplifting time dedicated to worship through music. This special gathering allows students to express their faith, give thanks to God, and strengthen their sense of community through shared songs of praise. Guided by our school’s Catholic values, Musical Praise helps nurture the children’s spiritual growth while fostering a deeper connection to God and one another..
