Our Church School
Church Distinctiveness
"I have come that you may have life, life in all its fullness."
John 10:10
We have strong Christian values, which are the foundation on which our learning and behaviour are based.
We celebrate all achievements, academic and creative, both in school and within the community. We have strong community links and always receive great feedback on our amazing children and dedicated staff.
Our vision means that as unique individuals in the eyes of God, we seek to thrive together in love, life and learning. At school we aim to help each other to learn how to do this. It is not always easy to live life in this way and so we help each other with the challenges that come along the way.
Everyone who works in and for our school supports its Christian foundation and ethos. Our pupils learn what it means to have a faith, underpinned by strong shared values which are shared across all faiths and none.
There are strong links between our school, our homes, our church and our community.
Spiritual development is at the centre of school life both directly through worship or indirectly through our behaviour policy, our pastoral support and our curriculum. We care about the spiritual development of everyone in our school community.
Our Christian Values and Collective Worship
As a church school, St. Gilbert’s sees the growth of its children and their faith as something which underpins everything we do. We value the warm and positive ethos which is palpable as you walk around the school. We encourage our children to ask questions, to explore what having a faith really means, opening them up to experiences with a variety of faiths and denominations, and support them in their journey as they make decisions about the place of God in their lives.
Our three core Christian Values are Happiness, Courage and Service. If we are happy, feel loved, included and valued, it allows us to develop the confidence to be courageous in our learning, friendships and in life. We can then be of service to others both in our school community and beyond. We want to equip our children with the skills and knowledge to understand the world, and use their unique gifts to serve others.
To support the development of these core values, we use the Roots and Fruits Collective Worship resource. This is a Christian Collective Worship resource, rooted in Bible teaching, with twelve Christian values representing the fruit that grows as the teaching is lived out in everyday life. Roots and Fruits supports SIAMS requirements and meets the criteria set out in the evaluation schedule.
Organisation of Worship
| Monday | Whole School Worship based on the Christian Value for the term, led by clergy or the Head Teacher with prayers and the lesson for the day written and read by the Worship Committee. |
| Tuesday | Worship in classes following iSingPOP led by class teachers. |
| Wednesday | Phase Worship expanding children's understanding of the Christian Value for the term led by a class teacher and once per term led by a class in KS2. |
| Thursday | Whole School Sing and Pray led by the Deputy Head Teacher. |
| Friday | Celebration Worship where pupil and staff achievements are recognised and valued, underpinned by our vision, led by a member of the Leadership Team. |
Due to our wish that we want all children to experience life in all its fullness, as taught by God, it is important that pupils are able to have a voice in shaping Worship so that they are fully involved. As a result, our Trustees, Collective Worship Committee and Church Lead monitor worship every short term.
Collective Worship and Spiritual Flourishing
Collective Worship at St Gilbert’s is a time for the whole school to gather together, and for everyone to be given the opportunity to grow spiritually and to ‘be still’. As a church school, we hold a daily Christian act of Collective Worship - sometimes the whole school gathers together and at other times we gather in phases or key stages.
These daily acts of worship give both pupils and staff the opportunity to:
- Engage in an act of community
- Express praise and thanksgiving to God
- Be still and reflect
- Explore the big questions of life and respond to national events
- Foster respect and deepen spiritual awareness
- Reflect on the character of God and on the teachings of Christ
- Affirm Christian values and attitudes
- Share each other's joys and challenges
- Celebrate special times in the Christian calendar
Our Worships are inclusive, invitational and inspiring for those of all faiths and none. Pupils involved in the Worship Committee are involved in leading prayer weekly and there are other opportunities throughout the year for children to lead worship. Worships are also led by the Head Teacher and other staff as well as members of the local clergy. Through our Worships, children learn how others have lived “Life in all its fullness” and how they can do this too by living out our core Christian Values of Happiness, Courage and Service.
Worship at St Gilbert’s offers pupils and staff of all faiths and none to develop spiritually through prayer, reflection, singing and sharing.
Please head to our SIAMS Section 48 page to find our 2017 SIAMS Report.
Our Local Church Community
The school has formal links with All Saints' Church, with members of the clergy leading our Collective Worship regularly during the school year. The pupils attend a number of services during the year and parents are invited to join us.
Reserved Teachers:
Miss Dicker – Headteacher
Mrs Dawson – RE Lead and Class teacher
Section 58 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 requires the appointment in Voluntary controlled (VC) schools of teachers who are able to provide religious education in accordance with the requirements of the Trust Deed of the school or in accordance with the tenets of the relevant religion or denomination.
This Term's Christian Value is Service.
In Summer 1 we will focus explicitly on the value of Service.
In Summer 2 we will explore Service through the value of Justice.
