Collective Worship
Guidelines for Schools
in
the DioceseofLeeds
June 2016
Foreword to the Collective Worship Guidelines for the Diocese of Leeds
Inspirational, foundational and transformational collective worship is one of the key hallmarks distinguishing Church schools. It is central to developing a spiritual dimension and enabling a ‘life-enhancing encounter with the Christian faith and the person of Jesus Christ’[1] for every one within the school community.
Whilst the debate continues nationally about the desirability and feasibility of a required daily act of collective worship for all registered pupils, in Church schools and academies worship is about far more than legal compliance. These guidelines therefore are timely in offering support in providing that opportunity for all our children and young people in our Church schools and academies.
The legal basis of Church schools, the Trust Deed, requires the school to ensure that everything it does lies within the framework of the faith and practice of the Church of England. For academies, this is enshrined in the funding agreement. This provides a clear, Christian, framework for collective worship as well as the values, RE and wider curriculum; however, the majority of Church schools and academies see themselves as serving the community as they welcome pupils from the local area, irrespective of faith background. For most schools in our diocese, this will require the interpretation of worship in a context of more than one faith tradition and/or where the majority of pupils may have no religious background.
The school will be, for the most pupils and staff, the only place they have the opportunity to consciously engage in worship or pause to reflect on the big questions of life. The collective worship offered by the school should seek to meet the individual at a place comfortable to them, whilst offering the opportunity to develop their own journey of faith or exploration. The best collective worship is about providing rich, diverse and meaningful opportunities to convey the individual to the threshold of worship, so that they may worship God if they so choose.
I am most grateful to the team who have produced these guidelines, which provide essential background information, ideas and resources to enable collective worship that is meaningful for all who participate.
The guidelines are designed to promote good practice and as a useful tool for all who are involved in any way in leading collective worship, whether teachers, support staff, heads, clergy or governors.
As a web based resource, it will be added to over time so that it reflects and grows the good practice in schools across the Diocese and beyond.
I whole-heartedly commend these guidelines to everyone who has responsibility for worship in schools. My hope is that this resource will offer inspiration, boost confidence and remind us that worship can be the heartbeat of the school, bringing life and energy to all in the community and enabling us to ensure that each and every one within our schools knows that they are loved and infinitely precious to God.
RtRevd Jonathan Gibbs
Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education
Church schools, through their understanding of the importance and centrality of worship, create imaginative approaches, which can contribute powerfully to the spiritual development of their pupils.[2]
For some pupils the experience of worship will be tentative and exploratory. For those who have already developed a growing faith commitment, worship will be the naturaloutcome of belief and a place where their deepest thoughts and emotions can be expressedin communion with God.[3]
School worship is the place where we acknowledge the infinitely larger world we inhabit and we are touched, however fleetingly, by its mystery and wonder.[4]
As part of the mission of the Church, church schools are called to
“Nourish those of the faith
Encourage those of other faiths
Challenge those who have no faith”[5]
CONTENTS
Foreword by Bishop Jonathan / Page 2Introduction / Page 5
The Legal Requirements for Collective Worship in Church Schools
The legal requirements for Collective Worship / Page 6
Rights and Responsibilities / Page 7
i)Rights of withdrawal / Page 7
ii)Exercising the right of withdrawal / Page 7
Governor responsibilities / Page 8
The Diocesan Board of Education / Page 8
SACRE / Page 8
What is Collective Worship?
The difference between corporate and collective worship / Page 9
Collective Worship in the Church school context / Page 10
Practice
Collective Worship and the Anglican Tradition / Page 12
Inclusion and Diversity / Page 13
Ethos, Values and Collective Worship / Page 15
Collective Worship and Spiritual Development / Page 16
Developing a Policy for Collective Worship / Page 17
Monitoring and Evaluation / Page 20
Inspection of Collective Worship / Page 22
Appendices / Page 28
- Holy Communion in School
- Prayer and Reflection in Collective Worship
- Exemplar Collective Worship Policy
- Considerations for Delivering Collective Worship
- Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating Collective Worship
Some Resources to Support Collective Worship / Page 48
INTRODUCTION
The Importance of Collective Worship in the Church School
Collective Worship is fundamental to the Christian foundation of the Church school. The Church school should be a place where pupils and staff are invited to experience worship as a quality activity, central to the life of the school and to its religious character.
The Church school is an important part of the work and mission of the parish. The school should have close connections with the local parish and worshipping community, and enjoy its support and encouragement. In the same way, the Church school should contribute to the life of the worshipping community.
Worship, therefore, has the potential to contribute to the nurture of personal faith, and develop the spiritual and religious awareness of all present, adults and pupils alike.
It is vital to recognise that pupils in Church schools come from a variety of backgrounds, reflecting the pluralistic and secular nature of our society. The spectrum may include those:
- who have, or come from families with, Christian commitment and belief
- whoseparents who have chosen a Church school (or who support its ethos) because they wish their children to experience something of the Christian faith or a faith environment
- who are members of other faith communities
- who do not share in any particular religious belief.
Whilst the Christian context will be explicit in Church schools, the overall pattern should be collective rather than corporate, as shared beliefs and values cannot be assumed. The use of the term ‘collective’ is important in that it recognises that pupils and staff will subscribe to a range of beliefs and non-religious worldviews. There is a need for the Church school to provide opportunities for all to share in worship in a way that makes sense to them and is appropriate to their individual stage of development.
‘The challenge consists in creating an experience which neither compromises belief but rather recognises the integrity and dignity of all members of the school community; which is essentially educational and stimulates the possibility of reflecting inwardly, sharing outwardly and living upwardly’.
Angela Wood (Author of “Assembly Kit”)
THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COLLECTIVE WORSHIP IN CHURCH SCHOOLS
The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (Section 70 and Schedule 20) requires:
- All registered pupils (apartfrom those whose parents exercise the right to withdrawal) must on "each school day take part in an act of Collective Worship." This is also the case in schools without a religious character.
[Subsequent to the act;Registered pupils aged over 16 may exercise the right to withdraw for themselves]
- The daily act of Collective Worship should be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Deed of the school and the Ethos Statement in the Instrument of Governmentor, where it is not stated within the Trust Deed, should be consistent with the beliefs and practices of the Church of England.
- For Collective Worship, pupils can be grouped in various ways: as a whole school, according to age, or in groups (or a combination of groups) used by the school at other times. Pupils cannot be put into specific groups just for Collective Worship.
- The daily act of Collective Worship will normally take place on the school premises. Schools are, however, permitted to hold their acts of Collective Worship elsewhere, (e.g. the local parish church) on special occasions.
- The provisions of the 1988 Education Act concerning ‘determination’ (section 12) and ‘wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character’ (section 7) do not apply to schools with a religious character.
- Responsibility for the oversight of Collective Worship rests with the governors in consultation with the headteacher. Foundation governors have a particular responsibility to ensure that the character or foundation of the school is reflected in Collective Worship.
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The school’s arrangements for Collective Worship and the rights of parents to withdraw their children should be clearly outlined in the school prospectus.
Parental Rights
The rights of parents to withdraw their children from Collective Worship established in the 1944 Act remain unchanged. Parents also retain this right in the particular context of Church schools. This means that:
- if the parent asks that a pupil should be wholly or partly excused from attending Collective Worship at a school, the school must comply
- if parents request alternative worship in accordance with a particular faith or denomination for a child who has been withdrawn, schools should respond positively providing that:
-denominational worship does not replace the statutory act of Collective Worship for any diocesan schools and academies
-alternative provision would be consistent with the overall purpose of the schoolcurriculum and does not contravene the school’s Trust Deed
-such arrangementscanbe made at no additional cost to the school.
Exercising the Right of Withdrawal
Parents are not obliged to state their reasons for seeking withdrawal. A headteacher will, however, find it helpful to understand:
-the element(s) of Collective Worship in which the parent would object to the child taking part
-the practical implications of withdrawal, and
-whether the parent will require any advanced notice of such worship, and if so how much.
A school continues to be responsible for the supervision of any child withdrawn from Collective Worship
Staff
Along with the parental right of withdrawal, teachers retain the right to withdraw from Collective Worship. Voluntary Aided, Foundation Schools and Academies, however, expect teachers and headteachers / principals whose National Society contracts include Paragraph 13 "The character of the school" to lead or take part in Collective Worship.
Responsibilities of Governors in Church Schools
Governing bodies of Church of England schools and academies, and foundation governors in particular, have a special responsibility for ensuring that the Christian character of the school is secured and developed and that the school is run in accordance with its trust deed and the ethos statement which appears on its Instrument of Government. Therefore, it is a governor responsibility to ensure that Collective Worship is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Deed of the school or, where it is not stated within the Trust Deed, should be consistent with the beliefs and practices of the Church of England.
This responsibility will be enabled through appropriate monitoring and evaluation of Collective Worship.
Responsibilities of the Diocesan Board of Education
The Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) is kept fully informed of all matters relating to Collective Worship in Diocesan schools. Through the receipt of Section 48 reports, the DBE monitors the provision of Collective Worship in all Diocesan schools and academies within its jurisdiction.
Responsibilities of SACRE
There are statutory duties on every Local Authority (LA) to establish a permanent body, called a Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE). In relation to Collective Worship, the SACRE has the following responsibilities:
- to advise the LA on matters concerned with the provision of Collective Worship
- to support the effective provision of Collective Worship in schools
- to monitor the provision of Collective Worship in Community schools
- to consider, along with the LA, any action which might be taken to improve the provision of Collective Worship
- to produce an Annual Report
- to receive applications for a determination from Community schools.
WHAT IS COLLECTIVE WORSHIP?
Legislation requires all schools, including Church schools, to conduct daily acts of Collective Worship. The legislation does not, however, define what is meant by the term Collective Worship.
The Difference between Corporate and Collective Worship
Corporate Worshipassumes a single shared set of beliefs within the context of a specific faith community, e.g.Bah’ai, Christian, Hindu, Islamic,Jewish,Sikh.
Collective Worship recognises the collective nature and diverse beliefs and opinions of those present.Worship should be offered in such a way that all those present, regardless of faith or worldview stance,can feel comfortable and welcome to participate in the experience being offered.
Collective Worship does not pre-suppose shared beliefs, and should not seek uniform responses from pupils. Collective Worship caters for a diversity of beliefs and points of view, allowing individuals to respond as individuals.
Collective Worship in the Church School Context
The term Collective Worship is used in the context of schools i.e. in aneducational context. Collective Worship mustseek to be inclusive,being interpreted in a way that is meaningful to the range of communities served by schools. Given the educational context of Collective Worship, raising knowledge and awareness of others and offering opportunity for reflection on ‘big questions’ within the context of worship, is important. This will enable the possibility of the worship being intrinsic to school life.A definition of Collective Worship in this context shouldalso incorporate an atmosphere in which God can be spoken about naturally and without apology.
In aneducationalcontext, a definition of Collective Worship might incorporate some of the following:
- an appreciation of things considered to be of worth (worth ship) or held in high regard
- a special personal feeling of reverence or humility
- an appreciation of the joys and wonders of the world
- an acknowledgement of the achievement and efforts of others, the struggles and sufferings of other human beings
- a sense of transcendence
- a reinforcement of the shared values of the school community
Christian Beliefs and Collective Worship in Church Schools
There must always be an awareness of the theological underpinning of Collective Worship.
Collective Worship should:
•contribute to learners’ understanding of Christian theological concepts and beliefs at an appropriate level
•reflect the Trinitarian nature of Christianity
•give the Bible a significant place in worship. (SIAMS schedule page 12)
Opportunities to hear Trinitarian prayers (including those from the Celtic tradition) can help pupils develop an understanding of the importance of this belief for Christians.
N.B. In reflecting this central Christian belief, acts of Collective Worship need to be particularly sensitive to the needs of Muslim and Jewish pupils for whom this doctrine is problematic.
The Bible
Acts of Collective Worship should incorporate stories from the Bible as an aid to reflection and deeper understanding of human experience. The Anglican Church follows a liturgical calendar ( ), which specifies biblical passages for particular times of the year and schools may wish to incorporate these readings into their own acts of worship as and when appropriate. It is also important that, over time, pupils gain an understanding of the ‘big picture’ i.e. the whole story of God’s relationship with the world through history.
The Trinity
Christians believe in the Trinity– that is, in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
It is important to realise that this does not mean that Christians believe in three gods – they do not.
The Christian teaching of the Trinity is that there is one God in three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, each fully God and equally God.
Christians believe that:
God the Father created the world
God took human form (incarnation) as Jesus Christ (God the Son)
God is present in the world today through the work of God the Holy Spirit.
(Inspectors must evaluate how well collective worship enables participants to develop an understanding of Jesus Christ and a Christian understanding of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Page 13&14 of the SIAMS Evaluation Schedule).
Prayer in Church Schools and Academies
Opportunities for prayer and reflection are central to worship, not only in the daily act of Collective Worship, but also throughout the school day e.g. before lunch, at the end of the day, at indoor and outdoor reflection areas. Prayer boxes, prayer trees and prayer walls are examples of where pupils and staff can interact individually or collectively and respond to something they are considering at any given time e.g. an item in the news, a personal situation, a situation involving a friend, a festival occasion, a ‘big question’.
Prayer can take many forms. It can be collective, personal, formal, created by the pupils themselves, silent, meditational, sung and spoken. It might include supplication (asking), praise, offering thanks, seeking forgiveness, asking for guidance and can be on behalf of others or the individual.
The use of a school prayer unites the school in the educational and community context.
Children in Church schools and academies should have the opportunity to know and offer the Lord’s Prayer on a regular basis.
Please see Appendix 2 for further ideas and resources on prayer.
COLLECTIVE WORSHIP AND THE ANGLICAN TRADITION
Collective Worship should seek to ‘develop learners’ understanding of Anglican traditions and practice’(SIAMS Evaluation Schedule page 11).