Our Vision and Values
Clifford All Saints Vision and Values Statement
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Vision Statement
‘Clifford All Saints Primary school is a welcoming, inclusive community inspired by the love of God, modelled in Jesus Christ, where we aspire to learn, to serve and to live life to itsfullest.’
Children’s version: Learning, serving and aspiring together motivated by the love of God
Our School Values
Our School Mission Aims
- At Clifford All Saints we are a distinctly Christian school but never exclusively Christian- we are welcoming of all children and families regardless of their faith background.
- Safeguarding is at the heart of all of our work in school. It is of imperative importance that children feel safe and valued. We create a climate and culture where all staff and volunteers hold the safeguarding of children and young people at the centre of their practice. This is underpinned by clear systems and processes.
- We have high expectations for the behaviour of the children in our setting and challenge the children to be the best versions of themselves they can be. We recognise that clear and well communicated boundaries and routines help children feel safe.
- In school we wish to be courageously compassionate. We recognise that everyone makes mistakes and our approach to behaviour and relationships underpins this. There’s space to get it wrong at Clifford All Saints- we forgive and learn from mistakes.
- As a small, one form entry family school we strive to ensure that every child is known to all staff and valued as an individual. We value the importance of hospitality at the core of our work with one another. Strong family links with the school community are a cornerstone of our school identity.
- We recognise that we are all made in the image of God- we delight and value this. This means that we strive to develop opportunities in school to support children to develop talents and let our children experience success through music, sport and the whole curriculum.
- We plan for the curriculum to be exciting and engaging with lots of meaningful learning opportunities. We delight in the knowledge that our children are the future and should be nurtured to learn and succeed in a supportive environment. We value wisdom and hopefulness and want to provide opportunities for children to explore and enjoy the wider curriculum. We want our children to aspire to becoming the geographers, historians, artists and more of the future.
- We recognise the importance and impact of true discipleship- we build in opportunities for children to develop skills in mentoring younger children as well as developing their leadership skills through responsibilities across school.
- We are proud of the diversity of our school curriculum and strive to ensure every member of our community feels valued and recognised. The children learn the importance of respect and valuing diversity by having this consistently modelled for them through the adults around them.
- In school, children are given time and space to reflect and think about God. We know that collective worship is an important time to gather as a community and that children can all engage with this in their own way.
- As a school staff team, we want to ensure every decision made in school is grace filled which demonstrates how decision in school are influenced by our values.
The Pattern of Collective Worship:
At Clifford All Saints, we conduct assemblies in a dignified and respectful manner. We tell children that assembly time is a period of calm reflection. We regard it as a special time and expect children to behave in an appropriate manner. We ask them to be quiet and thoughtful and to listen carefully to the teachings and participate fully in prayer and singing. However, there are also times where collective worship is an opportunity for joy and celebration. We create an appropriate atmosphere by using music and sometimes candles or other objects that act as a focal point for the attention of the children.
Our aim for collective Worship; Inclusive Invitational Inspiring
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Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
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Led by Rosie from All Saints Ecclesall focussed on retelling stories from the bible.
There will be broader foci on characters from the bible. |
Class assembly following collective worship plan- linked to bible study, topical events, vision and values focus. Using Roots and Fruits materials |
Alternating between Sarah from Christ Church and a focus of collective worship from Picture News to share information on a current event or focus. |
Singing and worship assembly. |
Celebration assembly
Twice a year- individual classes’ families invited to join. |
Inclusive:
Worship involves meeting, exploring, questioning, and responding to others and, for some, to God. I
We want our worship to be inclusive of, and fully accessible to, all.
We recognise that many pupils and staff in our schools will come from homes of different faith backgrounds as well as of no faith background.
We recognise the importance of children asking questions and being at different stages in their faith journey.
We make no assumptions about children’s faith.
We don’t ‘do worship’ we give children opportunities to be involved.
We are inclusive of all members of our Clifford All Saints community.
Invitational:
There is no compulsion to ‘do anything’. Rather, worship should provide the opportunity to engage whilst allowing the freedom of those of different faiths and those who profess no religious faith to be present and to engage with integrity.
We remind our community that pupils and adults should always only be invited to pray if they wish to do so and should be invited to pray in their own way. Prayer should always be accompanied by the option to reflect.
We use music and liturgies in worship to reflect the best of traditional and modern Anglican worship and connect it to wider themes
Inspiring:
We want children to experience worship that is formational and transformational: it should enable pupils and adults to ask big questions about who we are and why we do what we do.
We want to motivate our pupils and adults to reflect and take action in their community.
Worship should support us to become courageous advocates of important causes.
We want to encourage reflection on faith, beliefs and philosophical convictions.
The structure of our collective worship (See Appendix for guidance and ideas)
- Welcome / Gather
- Word/ Listen
- Worship/ Response
- Witness/ Mission
Our School Prayers
Clifford School Prayer
Lord, Bless our School
that working together
and playing together
we may learn to serve you
and to help one another
for Jesus sake.
Amen
Our before lunchtime prayer
Thank you God
For food and prayer
Teach us how to love and share
Amen
Our Friday lunchtime prayer
God is good to me
God is good to me
He gives me lips
To eat my chips
God is good to me
Amen
Our School Responses
The Lord be with you.
AND ALSO WITH YOU.
This is the day that the Lord has made.
WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.
Lord open our lips
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise
Let us worship the Lord
All praise to his name
The Lord is here.
His spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise
Seasons of the Church Year
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Prayer spaces and reflection spaces in school
Every classroom in school has a prayer space where the children can reflect on their individual prayers and reflections. There are shared spaces in school and opportunities for the children to actively engage with these.
Song Choices- collective worship and praise
In the appendix, a list of favourite songs are shared. This list is not extensive and provides choices that are traditional favourites as well as more modern choices. During special events there are key songs that the children learn that are linked to that period in the school’s calendar.
Worship Council and Youth group
We recognise the importance of children having an active role in worship. This enables them to engage with the content of the planned collective worship as well a role in the creation and leadership of worship in school. We work closely with the children’s minister from All Saints Ecclesall to engage young people in their own faith journey through small groups and a Christian youth group.
Roots and Fruits
We use Roots and Fruits in collective worship to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of wider Christian values. These are shared through a range of assembly mediums.
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Stories and verses to illustrate our values
Service
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John 13:1–5
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Proverbs 19:17
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Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done.
Matthew 5:16
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16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Integrity
The Temptation of Jesus
4 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”
9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’
11 and “‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
1 Samuel 12:1-5
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Samuel’s Farewell Speech
12 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.”
4 “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”
5 Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.”
“He is witness,” they said
Psalm 119:1-88
Joyful are people of integrity,
who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Kindness
Luke 10:25-37
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The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
1 John 4:16
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16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Ephesians 4:32
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32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Wisdom
Matthew 7:24-27
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The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Deborah- the judge and ruler- Judge
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Her perseverance, and her God-fearing character opened the door for God to trust her with more. She became a leader and a prophetess, as well as a charismatic military leader, leading the Israelites in a mighty victory to take the land of Canaan. Psalm13:20
Walk with the wise and become wise, Teamwork Luke 5 v17-20 |
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Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man 17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Matthew 27:61
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61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:12
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ideas for Acts of Collective Worship
The Aims The daily act of worship aims to provide opportunity for all pupils and staff: · To contemplate something of the mystery of God and to give honour, praise and thanks to Him · To reflect on spiritual and moral issues · To explore their own beliefs · To respond to and celebrate life · To experience a sense of belonging and develop community spirit · To develop a common ethos and shared values · To develop the skills of: · Reverence · Contemplation · Reflection · Interpretation · Empathy · Meditation · To enrich religious experience · To grow in liturgical understanding · To reinforce prayers which are part of the Catholic tradition · To reinforce positive attitudes · To develop a sense of awe, wonder and inspiration in the person of Christ
A liturgical structure - Welcome/Gather – how we come together, the setting, the environment - Word – the Word of God is proclaimed - Worship/Response – the response to the Word leads into a time of prayerful reflection which may be accompanied by a symbolic action - Witness/Mission – giving the children something to hold on to from the experience of the liturgy that they can take into their daily lives
Good practice
· Where there is evidence of the planning and evaluation of provision · Where there is a clear theme and message · When opportunity is taken through the choice of themes for the pupils to become familiar with the traditions, customs and practice of the seasons and feasts of the Church and where topics relevant to pupils lives are reflected upon in the context of the Word of God and the teachings of the Church · Where opportunity is given to reflect upon and to develop the values of ‘community activity, exchange of greetings, capacity to listen, to seek and grant pardon, expression of gratitude, experience of symbolic action, a meal of friendship and festive celebration’. (General Catechetical Directory no. 25) · When a ‘sacred space’ is created through a focal point, music etc. · When Scripture is given prominence · When opportunity is taken to use liturgical responses and actions · When there is evidence of a variety of approaches, telling a story, describing a situation or event, using images, special objects, dance, drama, music etc. · Where there is opportunity for individual and communal prayer in a variety of forms e.g. spontaneous, litany, intercession, meditation, traditional etc. · Where pupils not only lead acts of worship but are skilled in preparing acts of worship · Where the act of worship follows a liturgical structure, Welcome/Gathering, Word/Listen, Worship/Response, Witness/Mission · Where it affirms relationships and provides the opportunity for the collective sharing of joys and sorrows · Where it helps to promote a common ethos and shared vision · Where there is good use of visual aids, story, scripture etc. · Where there is effective use made of music · Where silence is used effectively to allow time for thought, prayer and reflection · Language that is used is suitable for the age group · There is a direct link between faith and everyday life · The act of worship is separated from administration · When gathering and leaving is conducted appropriately. · Where the senses are engaged · When the focus is on worship and not on teaching · Where adults are good role models · When practical, that other adults/parents are invited to share (not simply observe) in the time of worship
Welcome / Gather
Prepare a sacred space: (images, words, music, and lighting to remind us of the presence of God.) · Create a focal point to help pupils to focus during prayer using cloths, a projected image, photographs, painting, Book of the Gospels, crucifix, statue, rosary, lighted candle, special object, flowers etc. We can meet God in visual images and they can be a powerful catalyst for prayer. Remember quality and not quantity. Ask yourself, is it attractive, would it help me, is it relevant, does it reflect the theme, the liturgical year?). · Use liturgical colours (green for ordinary time, purple for Advent and Lent, white/gold for Christmas and Easter, red for apostles, martyrs. Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Pentecost, white/ blue for Our Lady · Use symbols of the season e.g. red poppy, autumn leaves, seas shells, and symbols of Baptism. God can be found in all things! · Play reflective music – listen reflectively, use sign language, or sing as you gather · Change the lighting to create a different atmosphere · Light a candle – a sign of God’s presence and love · Try various ways of gathering: into a circle e.g. one hand on shoulder in front/ various seating patterns e.g. theatre style, circle, semi circle, group, / Collect a class at a time/ Each class to bring their class candle or alternative symbol to a central display · Repeat a line/ chant/ mantra e.g. joy, peace, love, Come Lord Jesus Come,(Advent) Peace on earth,(Christmas) I will follow you, (Lent) Jesus is risen, (Easter) Come Holy Spirit (Pentecost). A mantra is a holy word or phrase which is repeated often and can provide a precious moment of prayer. · Make the sign of the cross · Make the sign of the cross on the forehead, lips and heart – ‘May Jesus be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart’. · Use breathing/ stilling routine – relax, concentrate on breathing. Breathe in God’s peace. Breathe out any worries. Be still inside and out · Pass something round to hold attention · Picking up a pebble, picture etc on the way in · Sound i.e. triangle/Indian bell · Create a circle by feeding a rope or using a hula hoop so everyone is connected then stands or sits. · Sing ‘Come and join the circle’ · Sit in an outside space · Contribute item to a display e.g. pebble, coin · Set the scene · Movement from silence/quiet to next stage · Have a prayer board for prayer intentions. These intentions could be placed here at any time during a day and brought to the next time of prayer. · Consider the class sending out an invitation to others to join them.
Word / Listen
The Scriptures are a primary source of faith, a sacred sign of God’s presence and should be given prominence. · Listen to a reading from the New or Old Testament (Sometimes it is sufficient to present just a few sentences). · ICT e.g. project a single image or a series of images to tell a story from the scriptures · Prepare a PowerPoint of images and phrases with background music that makes the Scripture of the day relevant to the world we live in. · Gospel Acclamation: Process and enthrone the Bible, elevate the Gospel, carry candles, stand to show respect, sing alleluia! ‘+Jesus be in my mind +on my lips + and in my heart’ · Mime the story as it is read · Act out the story · Sections narrated by pupils or ‘part-speaking’ · Use guided meditation. This is a way of praying with Scripture. Do a stilling exercise, invite the pupils to listen to the story and as they do to imagine they are someone in the story. What do they see, hear, did Jesus speak to them, what was he doing? etc. · Ensure the reading has a message or theme · Listen to an audio reading · Create a ‘visual story’ (KETT) or read Gospel story and place pictures on a display · Use same reading over the course of a week’s worship · Use pictures, images from ‘God’s Story’ · Use hymns and songs that tell the story
Worship / Response
Remember that this is a special time to respond to the Word of God in prayer. Make sure that children are given quiet time to internalise the message and to respond within. If practical, consider using a symbolic action to express or accompany a prayerful response. Creative movement helps children to know that there are many ways to express praise, joy, sorrow, thanks, sadness, love.
· Invite the children to talk silently to God about what they feel and what ideas they have. (If silence is difficult, play some quiet music in the background) · Invite children to thank and praise God for his gifts in silence · Invite children to reflect upon the times when they remove themselves from God’s presence, that they do not build up the kingdom of God. Ask for forgiveness and help. · Pray for the needs of others · In some circumstances, encourage spontaneous prayer. Encourage this as a circle time type of activity and pass a heart, a stone etc. around the circle · Use a litany style prayer ‘For… we thank you God’. ‘For the times…. We are sorry’. · Use prayerful signs/gestures/actions to accompany a prayer, song · Use a mantra, a word or phrase to repeat. Pupils can choose their own. · Blessing with water or dipping the hands in water while music is played is a prayerful gesture · Process with symbolic items · Wash hands/feet · Use traditional prayers. There are many that have been handed down through the history of the Catholic Church and it is important for pupils to take part in and become part of this tradition. · Pass on a sign of peace · Plant seeds · Place a stone at the foot of a cross · Drop pebble in water · Reflect and write on leaf and make a prayer tree. · Light a candle · Blessing with water/ oil · Use touch e.g. hand on hand, shake hands, sign of peace, hold hands, link arms, clap hands · On a large sheet of paper children could add their own paint stroke. · Destroy papers (reconciliation) · Breaking of bread · Respond using clay, drawing, painting etc · Private response diary/prayer journal · Write personal prayers on post-its · Use cut out shapes e.g. hearts, people, stars to write prayers on. · Posters · Dance Witness / Mission
Here children come to reflect on what they would like to hold on to, to understand and express how faith is lived out in the school community, at home, in the parish, the local and wider community. They identify ways of applying faith to life.
· Request to do something linked with the word e.g. prayer, deed, to pass something on. · Memento as a reminder e.g. card, shell, prayer, candle · Mission through personal example i.e. forgiveness · Spread the word (amongst others) · Shake hands · Ensure pupils follow through on what they are asked to do · Words of commitment · Reflect (at another time) on how their ‘mission’ has impacted on others. · Find a few moments in the day to say thank you to God. · Tell your mum/dad you love her/him · Care for God’s world by picking up a piece of litter · Remember to say please and thank you · Greet someone with a smile · Do something helpful at home · Invite someone lonely or isolated to join you at break time. · ‘Go forth!’ Serve! Proclaim! Witness! · Make an internal promise · Make a vocal promise · Contribute to class book of ideas
Planning Checklist for a Daily Act of Collective Worship
Theme: Date:
Preparation: When, where, who, what? What resources will I need? Create a focus.
Welcome / Gathering: How will we begin? How will I create an atmosphere of prayer?
Word / Listen: What will be the scripture focus and decide how to present it.
Worship / Respond: What will we do in response to listening to God’s Word e.g. prayer and symbolic action.
Witness / Go Forth: What will I do to help the pupils take the message away with them?
Helping Older Pupils to Plan an Act of Worship
Welcome / Gather:
· What music might you play?
· How will you arrange the pupils?
· Will you light the candle(s)?
· Can you find an appropriate image, picture, poster/artefact for your prayer focus?
Word / Listen:
· Who will read?
· What will you read? (Scripture, story, poem etc.)
· Will you act out the reading or use a PowerPoint presentation?
Worship / Respond:
· How will you help your friends to reflect on what they have read? Make sure you give some silent time.
· Will you say prayers that need a response?
· Who will lead the prayers?
Witness / Mission:
· What do you want your friends to take away from this Act of Worship to remember its message?
Helping Younger Pupils to Plan an Act of Worship
· Choose a theme: e.g. God gives me strength, Give praise to God, God’s wonderful world, Love your neighbour, etc.
· Welcome / Something to look at:
· Word / Something to listen to:
· Worship / Something to say:
· Witness / Something to do:
· Something to remember:
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