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Hullavington CE Primary and Nursery School

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Church School distinctiveness and the Christian life of the school

We warmly welcome you to the Hullavington family. As a Church school, we value our distinctive ethos to which all members contribute.

The Headteacher, school leaders, governors and staff recognise that Christian values underpin our work here. These can be seen in the life of the school in the relationships between its stakeholders. These values, which incorporate friendship, trust, honesty, kindness, happiness and love are modelled to our children in our everyday behaviours and highlighted to the children in assemblies and further opportunities in and out of class.

How do you know that Hullavington is a Church of England School?

Signs and displays:

There are many outward signs. We clearly proclaim our connection with the Church of England and St. Mary Magdalene’s Church, Hullavington.

Inside school also there are symbols of the Christian faith as reminders to us all of the school’s Christian foundation and pictures which remind us of the life and teachings of Jesus and other Biblical references.

Our Church School Ethos

There are also signs of the church calendar at particular times of the year (use of liturgical colours, displays to celebrate festivals).

Worship And Prayer

Worship and prayer are seen as central to what we do in Hullavington CE Primary and Nursery School. There is a daily act of Collective Worship. This might be a whole school, Key Stage or class Collective Worship.

Themes for Collective Worship are set by the Senior Leadership Team / RE subject leader in collaboration with the Church Team. Themes provide the opportunity for children to reflect, based on Christian values/dispositions. Christian values and Anglican elements form part of each Collective Worship eg Lord’s Prayer, prayer, blessing, song / hymn. The adult leading the Collective Worship helps create a sense of occasion. This may be created through signs and symbols, a piece of music on entry, lighting a candle, use of Assembly table in hall or RE display area in classroom (includes cross and school prayer.) Collective Worship is carefully prepared to develop given theme, spiritual development and promote respect for all.

Children know that Collective Worship times are special. They enjoy Collective Worship and participate in them, asking and answering questions, bringing in items from home, sharing artwork or drama. Children contribute to the planning of Collective Worship eg for Friday Collective Worship, prayers. Collective Worship provides the opportunity for staff / children to reflect quietly, and pray. Hymns / music are chosen to reflect the theme of the Collective Worship. Opportunities are taken for worship at St. Mary Magdalene’s Church Hullavington, especially at Harvest and Easter.

We want to encourage children to discover the power of prayer and time spent with God. We have time for prayer (during Collective Worship, before dinner time and at the end of the school day).

Relationship with the church

We have strong links with St. Mary Magdalene Church, Hullavington. The vicar, Adam and the Church team, including the Rural Schools Church Worker supports the school by leading worship, teaching part of the curriculum, providing experiential learning opportunities, running extra- curricular clubs after school, and governorship. Our pupils LOVE the Open the Book Collective Worship when they join in with the Church Team to role-play Bible stories.

We visit the church for services during Christian festivals and as part of the RE curriculum.

Relationships in school

All these aspects of our school life are very important, but there are other aspects which as just as vital to our school but which are not as easy to portray. These include good relationships with an emphasis upon seeking and receiving forgiveness, welcome, and respect for integrity. Our behaviour policy states clearly how we regard children and how we endeavour to encourage them to adopt the best kind of behaviour for the wellbeing of the school community.

We want you to feel welcome in our school just as we would like all who come here to feel welcome. We make people feel welcome in many ways (i.e. by greeting them at the entrance, speaking to them, inviting them to school events).

Everyone is welcome at Hullavington whether they come from a Christian family, a family of a different faith, or a family with no particular faith background. The same is true of staff. We would like this to be a place where all can flourish and where children (and adults) have the opportunities to learn about the Christian faith, but to have the chance to practice their family faith without fear of prejudice or bullying.

As our children come from a wide variety of religious backgrounds, we like to respect them by having displays and artefacts that represent their beliefs and traditions. In doing this we are recognizing that their faith is just as important to them as the Christian faith is to the life of the school.

Spirituality

We put spirituality at the heart of education recognizing that this is an essential feature of human life and experience. We proclaim the importance of the Christian faith as seen above, and provide opportunities for pupils to develop their ways of living. This is more than encouraging private and collective prayer and praise. It is also through nurturing a concern for others (compassion, service etc).

The pupils, staff and Governors of Hullavington CE Primary and Nursery School have worked together to formulate our own Hullavington definition of spirituality. This has been shared with parents and the whole school community.

Spirituality is…being fully human.

1. Understanding ourselves.

2. Understanding others.

3. Beauty – music, dance… and our relationships with these.

4. The beyond – purpose and meaning of life.