RE, Worship and Catholic Life

 

Religious Education

 

Christian values are central to the ethos of our school. We aim to show care and respect for each member of our school community by living and fostering Gospel values.

 

The approach to the sacraments is to enable the children to appreciate God in all aspects of their life and to encourage children to receive them with devotion and understanding. Throughout the primary years there is a progression in the depth of knowledge presented to the children in their understanding of the sacraments.

 

Our parish Priest, Father Geoffrey Steel, actively contributes to the School's RE programme, leading class masses and other acts or worship. Masses are celebrated with the whole school on a termly basis, to which parents and parishioners are warmly invited to attend.

 

Children and staff come together as a school community weekly where, through prayer, celebration and the sharing of talents, they learn to appreciate Christ in others. All children participate in daily worship within the setting of their own classroom.

 

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from religious education and collective worship. Alternative provision for such a child would be arranged as and when the need arose depending on school facilities and parents' wishes.

Worship

 

Collective Worship is an important aspect of Religious Education. Each day the children take part in a Collective Worship, whether it is in small groups in class, in year groups, in key stages or as a whole school. Collective Worship is an ideal opportunity to celebrate. Celebrations are an essential part of life for people of every age and faith. Collective Worships consist of varying elements such as gathering and greeting, listening, reflecting, responding through community praise, especially in song, prayer and of course the children’s own work and ideas.

At SS Mary and Michael Primary we have whole school Collective Worships to celebrate the new academic year, as well as a start of term mass, All Saints Day, Advent, and Christmas in the Autumn Term.

In the Spring Term we celebrate another beginning of term mass and Lent, Holy Week and Easter. 

In the Summer Term we celebrate start of term mass and have a special mass for our Year 6 leavers’. Throughout the year we celebrate many Feasts and Holy days of the Catholic Church.

 

School Led Family Mass

School leads the Liturgy at mass twice a year, this varies each year, but has been on the first Sunday of Advent, on Mothers' Day or in May for the May Procession.

 

Our children and their families fully participate in mass; reading, collecting, offering hymn books, performing the offertory, leading music and singing and in the prayers.

 

One school led mass saw our children participate in the May Procession and welcome Bishop Paul back to his home parish and school to celebrate mass with us! It was a wonderfully sunny day, a beautiful mass and procession and refreshments were enjoyed by our parish family in the school hall where we presented Bishop Paul with his very own blue school hoody! Well done to all our children and their families and staff who supported school and special thanks to Bishop Paul for visiting.

 

Catholic Life

 

SS Mary & Michael Catholic Primary School is a community of love and hope. It provides our children with a Catholic education, which perceives life as a faith journey. SS Mary & Michael Catholic Primary School is rich in opportunities for children to encounter God and to deepen their relationship with Him as a loving, compassionate Father.

 

We aim to develop the full potential of all young people, leading to their life-long activities being guided by the Spirit and presence of Christ, in the service of God and of others. As they grow, the children are encouraged to put their faith into practice in their own lives.