ArundelWhat is Spirituality at ACE?
The Church of England's Vision for Education states a core desire that children will experience life in all its fullness (John 10:10). At ACE, we believe that we need to give all our children the chance to allow them to grow into the people God is calling them to be.
We believe that we can explore Spirituality by educating the whole child, providing full life experiences to meet this desire, which includes immersion in the creative subjects.
Our definition of Spirituality is that it is an ongoing, reflective journey. It is something that teaches us about questioning, understanding and relationships: relationships with ourselves, others, the world and beyond.
Spirituality enables our children to be happy, flourish, succeed and live life in all its fullness.
School Statement on Spirituality
To talk about spirituality is, essentially, to talk about something which is beyond words. To make conversations about spirituality more accessible to every member of our school community, Arundel Church of England Primary School has chosen to follow ideas developed by the Education Department at the Diocese of Gloucester.
This language of spirituality begins from a Christian understanding that everyone is a valued creation, individually and uniquely made by God, like pots made by a potter (Isaiah 64:8). Yet, in life things happen that impact on the physical ‘pot’ of life and create cracks that provide a glimpse of something ‘beyond’ the tangible. Christians would view this as an opportunity to relate to the Divine Creator God.
The four elements of Spirituality
Spirituality looks to explore our relationships and connections. These are relationships with:
· Ourselves
· Others
· The World
· Beyond
Nurturing and developing Spirituality
The children encounter a range of opportunities to develop their own spiritual journey. These opportunities are raised throughout the curriculum in order to educate the whole child. We aim to teach the children to reflect on and consider their own actions in a number of different ways:
Look Up (Head)
Look up with expressions of praise and thanksgiving, to the one who created you.
Reflect on our place in the world and acknowledge that we were all created to be special.
Windows: giving children opportunities to become aware of the world in new ways; to wonder about life’s ‘WOWs’ (things that are amazing) and ‘OWs’ (things that bring us up short).
In this, children are learning about life in all its fullness.
Look In (Heart)
Look in to reflect on our own feelings, learning and experiences.
Learn from our mistakes and be proud of what we have achieved.
Mirrors: giving children opportunities to reflect on their experiences; to meditate on life’s big questions and to consider some possible answers.
In this, children are learning from life by exploring their own insights and perspectives, and those of others.
Look Out (Hands)
Look out to the world around you in new ways.
Respond to the feelings and situations of others and put our school values into action.
Open doors: giving children opportunities to make choices; to do something creative as a means of expressing, applying and further developing their thoughts and convictions.
In this, children are learning to live by putting into action what they are coming to believe and value.
Spirituality in Collective Worship
Collective Worship is the beating heart of Arundel Church of England Primary School. It provides the opportunity for our school community to share experiences, ideas and understanding. It is the context in which the language of spirituality, which we use as a school, is regularly and explicitly shared.
Spirituality in Religious Education
The Church of England’s Statement of Entitlement outlines the aims and expectations for Religious Education in Church of England Schools and guides this school’s approach to RE and spirituality.
Learning activities in RE provide for the needs of all pupils, offering a safe space to explore their own religious, spiritual and/or philosophical ways of seeing, living and thinking, believing and belonging. They provide opportunities to engage in meaningful and informed dialogue with those of all religions and worldviews, linking these to pupils’ ideas of spirituality and the language of wows, ows and nows where appropriate.
Spirituality within the Curriculum
The ACE Christian vision is a driver for the design of our curriculum and impacts on pupils' spiritual growth. Drawing on the language of wows, ows and nows, conversations around spirituality are included in classroom teaching when appropriate from Reception to Year 6.
Spirituality within the Ethos of the Daily Life of the School
In Arundel Church of England Primary School we view spiritual growth as becoming more and more aware of one’s natural, innate spirituality. These opportunities happen throughout each and every day as children deal with delight, disappointment and the chance to be present with themselves.
Staff Development and Training
We ensure that all staff, including support staff, receive appropriate training and opportunities for professional development, both as individuals and as groups or teams. ECTs and staff who are new to Arundel Church of England Primary School will receive training and support from the staff member identified as leading on spirituality.