BOROUGHMUIR HIGH SCHOOL

Time for Reflection

Policy Statement

May 2015

Introduction

In accordance with the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, and the advice contained in the Scottish Government’s letter of February 2011, it is the policy of the authority and the school to hold acts of Time for Reflection.

Definition

Time for Reflection is defined for schools in Scotland as:

“Community acts which aim to promote the spiritual development of all members of the school community and express and celebrate the shared values of the school community”

Time for Reflection Review Group Report

Purpose

Time for Reflection will provide a variety of experiences which will be meaningful to all pupils and staff, aiding their spiritual development.

The school community comprises staff, pupils and families from a variety of faith backgrounds and worldviews[1]. This diversity will be valued and considered when planning acts of Time for Reflection.

Time for Reflection will strive to be meaningful in the social, cultural and educational context of today. It should assist in bringing the school together and creating a feeling of shared identity.

Aims

The aims of Time for Reflection are defined as:

“To promote the spiritual development of all members of the school community; to express and celebrate the shared values of the school community”

Time for Reflection Review Group Report

Spiritual Development

“Includes being helped to recognise, reflect upon and develop a deeper understanding of the values and worth of each individual”

Time for Reflection Review Group Report

A Curriculum for excellence encourages each individual within a school community to develop the four capacities; it is therefore vital that the Time for Reflection policy follows these guidelines and enables everyone to develop as “a successful learner, confident individual, responsible citizen and effective contributor”.

To further these aims, the school will:

Allow all members of the school community to engage in shared activities reflecting on and expressing their spiritual needs and aspirations;

Celebrate important occasions in the life of the school and the community;

Involve all members of the school community in experiences which stimulate, challenge and extend their capacities for spiritual response to the world in which they live.

Focus on and examine the shared values within our community

Withdrawal

The terms of the Education (Scotland) Act allow parents/carers the right to ask for their child to be withdrawn from Time for Reflection and the school will deal with such requests with sensitivity and understanding. If any parent/carer wishes to withdraw their child they should make an appointment with the Head Teacher.

Parents/carers should be reassured that the Time for Reflection planned by the school adopts an open and respectful approach and does not seek to compromise the beliefs of any pupils or their families.

Where a child is withdrawn from Time for Reflection, suitable arrangements will be made for the pupil to participate in a worthwhile alternative activity.

Frequency

The school will follow the City of Edinburgh authority policy of a minimum of six Time for Reflection opportunities per year for each pupil.

Quality

The School intends to provide Time for Reflection events of high quality which will further the aims as defined above.

Any requests to organise a Time for Reflection event by members of the school community will be positively considered and there is a request form attached[2].

The Time for Reflection Team

Organisation

A programme of Time for Reflection events will be drawn up at the start of each year. It is understood that pupils will assemble during the school year for a variety of events and a range of reasons. A clear distinction will be maintained between assemblies for Time for Reflection and assemblies for other purposes; to allow all members of the school community to participate with integrity. All activities will be planned around the principles for design as outlined in A Curriculum for Excellence and will enable them to develop the four capacities of successful learners, responsible citizens, confident individuals and effective contributors.[3]

Evaluation

Regular evaluation of the programme and quality of the events will take place under the direction of the head teacher or the person nominated by the head teacher. The quality of Time for Reflection may also be subject to external evaluation by officers of the authority or HMIe inspectors.

Location

Consideration will be given to providing the most appropriate high quality location for Time for Reflection events in the school to allow for full participation in the event.

Diversity and Flexibility

The school will develop Time for Reflection in a creative way which is most appropriate to this school community.

Worship

A clear distinction will be kept between Time for Reflection and worship. Worship is a free response which assumes three elements, belief, desire and commitment. Time for Reflection in the school context does not assume these elements, but encourages pupils to reflect on the shared values and the lifestyles that are represented in the community. Time for Reflection is designed to promote meaningful dialogue and assist in bringing the school together and creating a feeling of identity.

The school will consider positively requests by members of the school community for organised acts of worship within the informal curriculum of the school.

Boroughmuir High School

An outline of Time for Reflection events as planned

2015/16

Month / Theme (s) / Delivered/Assisted by: / Applies to:
(Highlight when completed)
S1 / S2 / S3 / S4 / S5 / S6
August
September /
  • Charities assembly (pupil led) looking at ‘why not give?’ instead of ‘why give?’

October
November /
  • Values of Boroughmuir High School and Scottish Mace: Creation of a display looking at what these words mean to us.
  • Remembrance Day service for S6, a minute’s silence in classes supported by PPT which encourages reflection on the purpose of Remembrance Day and the current conflicts in the world.

December /
  • Write for Rights Day – (pupil led) Amnesty international, thinking about human rights and the ways that people can support each other. Linking to a lunchtime campaign by the school’s amnesty group.
  • The Christmas Message - thinking of others at Christmas and what is the meaning of the festival in today’s society? Link to thinking of others at Christmas, elderly neighbours, homeless etc…

January /
  • Holocaust Memorial Day – work on the annual theme.

February /
  • Fair Trade fortnight (dates TBC), why should we have Fair-trade? (pupil led)

March /
  • Happiness – what do you need to have it all? What do you need to have fulfilment? Reflections on money, fame, power and health.

April /
  • Easter –giving it all up? Who would you give your life for? What are the things that are most important to you?

May /
  • Contemplation Week – Reflection

Appendix 1

Boroughmuir High School Statistics disclosed in pupil information forms by parents. For academic year 2012/13 (April 2013)

Buddhist / 3
Christian / 477
Christian - RC / 64
Hindu / 7
Jewish / 3
Muslim / 42
None / 487
Not Disclosed / 10
Other / 45
1138 / = Total

Appedix 2

Time for Reflection Template

Purpose

The purpose of the template here is to guide thinking and help prepare for RO events making sure that all important features outlined in the Time for Reflection Review Group Report are in place.

Application

This template can be used in an RO event of any size, length, age group or location

Who Completes this?

The person or chaplaincy team in charge of the RO event should complete this consulting with the RO team in the school and if appropriate SMT.

Filling the Boxes in the Template

Rationale: why this event is being done, how it is being shaped and how it fits in with the life of the school community

Title: What it’s going to be called

Stage: which age group, year group or stage of pupils this is aimed at

Aim: The broad aim of what is intended to be achieved through this event.

Objectives This section is in two parts.

1] The first links the event with the sensings laid out as examples in the Review Group Report. (Sensing mystery; values; meaningfulness; a changed quality of awareness; otherness; and challenge - p13). It is these factors which differentiate an RO event from simply e.g. a PSD lesson or an administrative assembly in the life of the school. This list may not be exhaustive, but it does give an indication of some essential elements of the spiritual dimension of human life.

While it cannot be guaranteed that pupils and staff will experience a sense of mystery etc, events should be designed which allow for this to happen and to be nurtured.

This section allows staff to chart this objective over the course of a year and the breadth of a pupil’s experience of school life

2] The second part lays out what a pupil or member of staff should be able to do at the end of the event, by e.g. stating new things learned, being able to analyse their own beliefs; or, identify challenges to respond to and how they will do it.

Link with ACfE. This task enables us to locate the RO event within the broader educational programme of the school, either though the four capacities of a Curriculum for Excellence.

Is this part of a series? It is helpful over the longer term to plan how thisevent will fit in with others, or how the themes may be developed or built on.

Introduction.Deciding how the event will be introduced and who will do this are important in setting the tone for the whole event. Careful thought should be given to this as much as to any other section.

Stimulus/ Stimuli. The stimulus/ stimuli which allow(s) for reflection and provoke(s) consideration of spiritual themes is/ are key to the event. The possible stimuli within our contemporary culture, religious traditions and current events are many and varied. The forms in which this can be presented allow for considerable variety. Care has to be taken to justify why a certain stimulus and means of delivery have been chosen.

Examples of stimuli could be e.g. a faith based story; a clip from a film or a TV programme; a drama; poetry or reading; a PowerPoint presentation, a charity speaker; a story from a member of the school or wider community; local cultural event a piece of contemporary music; or a national/ international event.

Key to this process is understanding how the stimulus supports the aim and objectives of the event and are linked in with the broader aspirations of RO.

Guided Reflection. Having presented the stimulus/ stimuli a careful teasing out of the issues raised is required in order to allow those present to interpret and be fully involved in the event. Again, this is done with a view on the aim and objectives of the event.

Response & Possible Next Steps. This can take many forms. It could be a challenge to go and further reflect on the issues raised. If the stimuli and reflection have been powerful, then this may be enough. If a challenge to do something arises out of the preceding sections then action may be appropriate. Prayer (used inclusively or allowing non-participation) may be the truly human action as a result of the issues considered.

This also allows the opportunity to link the RO event with the wider curriculum

Evaluation (a) Linked with the objectives set out above. Obviously an exam is not an appropriate means of evaluating whether the objectives have been achieved, but a short discussion with selected pupils, or with the pupils on the Pupil Council may be.

Under the Standards in Scotland's Schools. Act 2000, 2.1. account must taken of “so far as is reasonably practicable, to the views (if there is a wish to express them) of the child or young person in decisions that significantly affect that child or young person, taking account of the child or young person's age and maturity”

If a shared value of the school is “respect” then genuine consultation with pupils models this value.

Evaluation (b)the team who ran the event should take time to consider the event, whether or not the objectives were achieved (and if not why not), and lay out next steps.

Evaluation (c)evaluation of pupil participation and engagement with the event.

Running Order allows everyone involved to know what comes next.

The Template

Part 1 – structure (example)

Rationale / This event is the first of our new programme to meet the requirements of the 2005/1 circular and 2011 letter on RO. It’s whole school
Title / Time For Reflection
The 4 values on the Scottish Mace
Stage / Whole school, delivered in the 4 houses
Aim / To explore what makes wise decisions by acting according to the Mace Values
Objectives / Exploring the idea of living by core values and the challenge that brings.
Pupils will have explored the values of justice, integrity, compassion and wisdom and thought about what it takes to live by those values. They will have asked the question of themselves what do I need to overcome the pressures to make choices in my life that don’t reflect those values
Link with ACfE / ACfE - effective contributors, responsible citizens
Is this part of a series / 1st in a series to create new model of RO to promote self reflection and the examination of shared values.
Introduction /
  • Each house was allocated one of the 4 words on the Scottish Parliaments mace; integrity, compassion, justice and wisdom,
  • The hall was be decorated with large posters of each of the 4 words
  • All pupils get a piece of paper in the registration time on day before the Time For Refelction event asking them to complete the sentence; When I think of (word for their house), I think of
  • These were be gathered in and put up on a notice boards, one board for each word

Stimulus/ stimuli /
  • Music will be playing whilst students enter
  • Music stops and live piece played by pupil
  • some of the comments on the board read and very EA briefly introduces the theme
  • House Captains expand on their “house word” in whatever way they choose –
  • Short silence with images specific to that word on the screen
  • EA tells the story of King Solomon and the choice he made that saved the life of a baby boy, a choice rooted in compassion, justice and integrity which is what made it wise – but recognising that it was not an easy route even for a king

Guided Reflection /
  • Powerpoint with music behind it, (Jesse J; who you are) on what it takes (and how hard it can be to make wise choices, especially in tough times

Response & Possible Next Steps /
  • 4 Short real life scenarios written and read out by pupil about choices that require compassion, integrity, justice or wisdom finishing with the challenge – what do you need to make wise choices?
  • Close with sentence “what do you need to make wise choices?” on the screen

Evaluation (a)
(achieving the objectives)
Evaluation (b)
(of the team and event by the team)
Evaluation (c)
(evaluation of pupil engagement and participation)

Blank Template 1

Rationale
Title
Aim
Stage
Objectives
Link with ACfE
Is this part of a series
Introduction
Stimulus/ stimuli
Guided Reflection
Response & Possible Next Steps
Evaluation (a)
Evaluation (b)
Evaluation (c)
Running Time / Minutes / Activity / Personnel / Requires / Action

Appendix 3

Curriculum for Excellence: Principles for Design

Challenge and enjoyment

Children should find their learning challenging, engaging and motivating. The curriculum should encourage high aspirations and ambitions for all. At all stages, learners of all aptitudes and abilities should experience an appropriate level of challenge, to enable each individual to achieve his or her potential. They should be active in their learning and have opportunities to develop and demonstrate their creativity. There should be support to enable children to sustain their effort.

Breadth

All children should have opportunities for a broad, suitably weighted range of experiences. The curriculum should be organised so that they will learn and develop through a variety of contexts within both the classroom and other aspects of school life.

Progression

Children and young people should experience continuous progression in their learning from 3 to 18 within a single curriculum framework. Each stage should build upon earlier knowledge and achievements. Children should be able to progress at a rate which meets their needs and aptitudes, and keep options open so that routes are not closed off too early.

Depth

There should be opportunities for children to develop their full capacity for different types of thinking and learning. As they progress, they should develop and apply increasing intellectual rigour, drawing different strands of learning together, and exploring and achieving more advanced levels of understanding.

Personalisation and choice

The curriculum should respond to individual needs and support particular aptitudes and talents. It should give each child increasing opportunities for exercising responsible personal choice as they move through their school career. Once they have achieved suitable levels of attainment across a wide range of areas of learning the choice should become as open as possible. There should be safeguards to ensure that choices are soundly based and lead to successful outcomes.

Coherence

Taken as a whole, children's learning activities should combine to form a coherent experience. There should be clear links between the different aspects of children's learning, including opportunities for extended activities which draw different strands of learning together.

Relevance

Children should understand the purposes of their activities. They should see the value of what they are learning and its relevance to their lives, present and future.

Further detail can be found on pages 14 of A Curriculum for Excellence, The Curriculum Review Group

Further detail can be found on pages 12-14 of A Curriculum for Excellence, The Curriculum Review Group

[1] See appendix 1

[2] See appendix 2

[3] See appendix 3