Collective Worship:

What is Collective Worship?

At St Francis, Collective Worship is a highly valued and central part of our school day. It is the time when our whole community gathers to encounter God together — to reflect, pray, sing and celebrate.

Worship provides space for pupils and staff to pause, to think deeply, and to explore our Christian vision:

“Together in God’s love, we aspire to be our best.”

It enables us to live out our High Five Values, which are rooted in Scripture and shaped by our Anglican tradition.

Our Collective Worship is:

• Inclusive – everyone is welcomed and valued.
• Invitational – pupils and staff are encouraged to engage, but never compelled.
• Inspirational – it seeks to nurture faith, character and reflection.

Through Bible stories, prayer, music and times of quiet reflection, worship helps our community grow spiritually and understand how Christian faith shapes daily life within school and beyond.

What does Collective Worship look like in our school?

Collective Worship underpins our vision and High Five Values. It is thoughtfully planned to ensure progression, theological depth and meaningful engagement.

Each half term we focus on one Christian value. This is explored through:

• An acrostic poem to introduce key ideas
• A carefully selected Bible story
• A related Biblical quote
• Opportunities for prayer and reflection

The value is then enriched through:

• Additional scripture that deepens understanding
• Thought-provoking questions to encourage spiritual reflection
• Stories of “Giants of Faith” — individuals, past and present, who have lived out Christian values and made a difference in the world

Worship is not a standalone activity; it is woven into the life of the school. It supports pupils in understanding their place in God’s story, encourages gratitude and compassion, and strengthens our sense of belonging as a community.

Through worship, we aim for pupils and adults alike to grow in faith, character and understanding — enabling us all to flourish.

The Trinity as the heart of worship:

At the beginning of every act of Collective Worship, our children lead us in a Trinity prayer, which is also signed. This moment reminds us that we gather in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

This simple but powerful routine helps our community to pause, focus and recognise God’s presence with us as we worship together.

It is an important expression of our Anglican tradition and supports pupils in understanding the Christian belief in the Trinity in a meaningful and memorable way.

Video of worship to follow.

Our worship timetable follows the pattern below:

Keep as is, but change Friday theme to Celebrating being our best.