At Cherry Burton C of E (VC) School, collective worship is at the heart of our school community. We provide all pupils with opportunities to reflect, celebrate, and grow spiritually, supporting our Christian ethos while welcoming children of all faiths and none.

Our weekly worship programme includes:

• Monday: Reverend Richard leads our worship, helping us explore Christian teachings and values.

• Tuesday: We use Values for Life, a resource that supports the teaching of Christian values across the whole school. It provides reflection questions, collective worship plans, Bible stories, stories from world faiths, children’s books, and curriculum-linked activities to help pupils understand and live out each value in meaningful, real-life ways.

• Wednesday: We explore current affairs through Picture News, encouraging children to think critically and compassionately about the world around them.

• Thursday: Worship is linked to special themes, such as Children’s Mental Health Week or Online Safety Day, helping pupils engage with important issues in meaningful ways.

• Friday: We celebrate achievements in our Celebration Assembly, recognising the efforts and successes of our pupils.

Each term, we explore a specific value, which feeds directly into our school vision:

• The value is introduced in a whole school worship at the start of the term, and key questions are explored throughout the term. These themes then shape the focus of both whole school and class worship sessions.

• Each classroom has a dedicated area where pupils are supported and encouraged to reflect on the theme in ways appropriate to their understanding.

• Pupils have shown a deep understanding of the values over time, and we look forward to seeing this understanding continue to grow as they progress through the school.

Throughout the year, we incorporate liturgical colours to reflect the Church calendar, helping children connect with the rhythm of Christian worship. Our worship box contains a variety of resources and symbols to make our collective worship interactive, engaging, and memorable.

Collective worship at Cherry Burton encourages reflection, respect, and a sense of community, supporting our mission to give all pupils the ‘roots to grow’.