Spirituality at St James's
St James’s Shared Definition of Spirituality
Spirituality is about understanding that we are an integrated part of something bigger. It is the act of being fully human by revealing ourselves, our relationships with others, with beauty and the beyond and doing so through love. At St James’s all children witness how our four areas of spiritual development can occur through an over-arching relationship with God; for some this forms part of their faith.
Opportunities for Spiritual Development
Opportunities for enhancing the spiritual well-being of learners, including pupils, staff, governors and families, are developed in every aspect of our school life. Through our vision, "Let your light shine”, we take delight in learning through a broad and balanced curriculum with inspirational teaching and we are passionate about the pursuit of wisdom.
We believe academic excellence is equal and complementary to strong development of character, and spiritual revelation is central to this. Our curriculum also embeds our eight Christian values of Courage, Responsibility, Kindness, Friendship, Honesty, Respect, Forgiveness and Perseverance. Through these values, as well as the five British values of Democracy, Mutual Respect, Individual Liberty, Tolerance and the Rule of Law, we invite our school community to explore Christianity, their own spiritual development and the meaning of faith.
We have identified specific areas which contribute to the spiritual revelation: reflection opportunities in each classroom, the school hall where daily acts of collective worship take place and where we come together as a school community and the outdoor reflection area.
To support all stakeholders to shine spiritually, we use ten capacities within the curriculum. These will allow children, staff, governors and families to further develop their understanding of themselves and others. These will also underpin a growing appreciation of beauty and experiences beyond everyday life.
The ten spiritual capacities are as follows:
be guided by their beliefs and values and be willing to take a stand to defend them
be self-aware and empathise with the experience of others in the school and wider community
love themselves, care for themselves, believe in their potential to achieve, and find inner strength and resilience when facing challenges
exercise imagination and creativity, appreciate beauty in the world and be alive to experiences of awe and wonder
be intrigued by mystery and be open to an awareness of the transcendent in the whole of life
be comfortable with stillness and silence and open to engage in reflection/meditation/prayer
be ready to say sorry when mistakes are made, to forgive themselves and to forgive others
be willing to take risks and to reflect, learn and grow following experiences of failure as well as success
demonstrate curiosity and open mindedness when exploring life's big questions
appreciate and be thankful for what is good in life like friends and family, and show generosity towards others
Spirituality in Collective Worship
Collective Worship is the beating heart of St James’s C of E 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. Collective Worship provides the opportunity for the St James’s family to become aware of the importance of reflection and how our positive and negative experiences can be formative. It also provides a real sense of being present which are often linked to invitations to pray.
Opportunities for spiritual revelation in collective worship are in exploring the following:
Opportunities for reflection and response are planned into worship.
Stillness.
Personal and collective beliefs are respected.
Sharing and celebrating common beliefs.
Celebrating success.
Sharing happiness, sorrow, hurt, excitement, anticipation, fear, etc.
Common activities such as singing, listening, laughing, praying, reflecting on a theme.
Remembering and celebrating the lives of people of spiritual significance.
Emphasising common purpose and values.
Experiencing emotions.
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.
Opportunities for spiritual revelation in RE are in exploring the following:
People, places, things, books, actions and ideas held by religious believers to be holy.
Ultimate questions of meaning and purpose.
Ideas of the divine/ questions of God.
Forms of worship.
Use of music, art and drama to express beliefs.
Varieties of beliefs, celebrations and rituals.
Ideas of commitment and belonging to groups and institutions.
The idea of mystery and questions with no clear answers.
For further details, please refer to St James’s C of E Primary School's Religious Education Policy and the Church of England's Statement of Entitlement.
Spirituality in Personal, Social and Health Education, including Relationships Education
Both PSHE and RE are essential when nurturing a positive sense of self and their connections to others as well as an appreciation for the beauty of relationships and love.
Opportunities for spiritual revelation across in PSHE are in exploring the following:
Discussion and debate regarding social and moral issues
Knowledge of society, rights and responsibilities, including discrimination and prejudice
Empathy for those who suffer
Asking big questions
Emotional understanding and shared language
Positive sense of self
Impact of Spirituality at St James's
To measure the impact of spiritual growth, staff and governors listen to the voice of stakeholders through pupil interviews, the governor questionnaire to parents and staff voice. Governors, staff and pupils monitor the impact of collective worship and recommendations are fed back to the Senior Leadership Team and actioned appropriately. Some recommendations will be included in the School Improvement Plan.
