Kenn Church of England Primary School is a Voluntary Controlled Church School.
This means that at Kenn, we have a strong Christian ethos, which includes a Christian Vision and set of Christian Values, We use these vision and values to help guide the adults and children in school with their emotional, social and spiritual development. We believe that this approach helps us create a happy, safe and friendly environment at school.
Please see our most recent SIAMS inspection report:
Kenn C of E Primary Collective Worship
Sowing Kindness, Courage and Faith so that all can Flourish
Our Intention
At Kenn Church of England Primary School, Collective Worship is central to our Christian distinctiveness and to the living out of our Christian vision: ‘Sowing kindness, courage and faith so that all can flourish.’ Rooted in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1–9), our worship seeks to nurture the seeds of faith, hope, kindness and courage so that every member of our community can grow and flourish.
Collective Worship provides a regular opportunity for pupils and adults to encounter and explore the Christian faith, engage with the Bible and Christian theology, reflect on questions of meaning and purpose, and consider how faith influences the way we live.
Worship is distinctly Christian, rooted in Scripture and connected to the Christian calendar, our vision and values of kindness, courage and faith. It provides opportunities for prayer, stillness, reflection, music, celebration and response. Worship is invitational and inclusive, enabling all members of our community to participate in ways that are meaningful to them.
We want pupils to understand that worship is not simply an assembly or a time to learn about Christianity. It is an opportunity to encounter God, ask big questions, reflect on their own lives and consider how they can live well with and for others.
Our Implementation
Our Collective Worship follows a simple rhythm:
Gather
We come together as a community, creating a calm, respectful and purposeful space. We gather through music, prayer, silence, stories, the lighting of a candle, Bible readings or other appropriate symbols and actions.
Engage
We engage with the Bible, Christian teaching and theological ideas. Stories, questions, images, music and real-life experiences encourage pupils to think deeply about faith, life and the world around them. Worship makes explicit links to our Christian vision, the Christian calendar and the values we seek to live by.
Respond
Pupils are given time and space to reflect on what they have encountered. This may involve prayer, stillness, discussion, personal reflection, a practical activity or considering a question. Pupils are encouraged to think about how the message of worship might influence their choices, relationships and actions.
Send
Worship ends by encouraging pupils to take what they have encountered into their lives. We seek to move from worship to action, encouraging pupils to live out kindness, courage and faith and to contribute to the flourishing of others. This may involve a challenge, prayer, act of kindness, service or commitment for the week ahead.
Developing Spirituality – Look In, Look Out, Look Up
Alongside Collective Worship, we are developing a shared approach to spiritual development through Look In, Look Out, Look Up.
Look In encourages pupils to notice and reflect on their own thoughts, feelings, experiences, values and sense of identity.
Look Out encourages pupils to notice and respond to others and the world around them, developing empathy, compassion, awe and wonder, and considering questions of justice, responsibility and care.
Look Up provides opportunities to explore questions of meaning, purpose, faith and transcendence, including the Christian understanding of God.
The three dimensions are interconnected and support pupils to develop a richer understanding of themselves, their relationships, the world and, within our Christian context, their relationship with God.
We are developing opportunities for spiritual growth not only through Collective Worship and RE, but throughout the curriculum and wider life of the school, including outdoor learning, times of stillness, reflection, relationships, special experiences and opportunities to serve others.
Pupil Leadership and Partnership
Pupil voice is central to the development of worship. Through our Ethos Group, we want pupils to increasingly contribute to planning, leading and evaluating Collective Worship. We want pupils to have genuine opportunities to shape the spiritual life of our school.
Our partnership with St Andrew’s Church, Kenn also strengthens our worship and enables pupils to experience Christianity as a living faith within their own community. The local church contributes to worship, prayer and the celebration of the Christian calendar.
Impact
We seek to see the impact of Collective Worship in the lives of our pupils and the wider community. Pupils should increasingly be able to:
- explain how worship connects to our Christian vision;
- engage thoughtfully with the Bible and Christian beliefs;
- ask and explore theological, moral and spiritual questions;
- reflect on their own beliefs, choices and experiences;
- recognise opportunities to show kindness, courage and faith;
- demonstrate compassion, justice and responsibility towards others;
- recognise and articulate experiences of awe, wonder, reflection and connection;
- take increasing responsibility for leading and shaping worship.
Ultimately, Collective Worship seeks to help the whole Kenn community gather together, engage deeply, respond thoughtfully and go out into the world ready to live out our Christian vision – sowing kindness, courage and faith so that all can flourish.
Structure for the week:
| Monday
9:10am – 9:30am
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Vision, Bible and big questions | Mrs Curry leads the worship with the pupil Ethos Group. Worship is rooted in biblical teaching and theological themes, exploring a Big Question or challenge, connected to our Christian vision. Roots and Fruits support theological reflection. There is a particular focus on justice, courage, responsibility and how our choices affect others. As the year progresses, pupils will take increasing ownership of planning and leading worship.
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| Tuesday
1:10pm – 1:30pm |
Christian story and reflection | Collective worship explores Christian teaching, stories and values and makes explicit links to our Christian vision. Sessions may be led by ICE or by Mrs Tyrell, English Lead and Reading Champion, using high-quality stories, literature, images, video or other creative approaches. Pupils are encouraged to consider moral or theological questions raised and how the message connects with their own lives and choices.
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| Wednesday
1:10pm – 1:30pm |
Singing, prayer and praise | Mrs Robinson leads singing assemblies linked to the school values. Pupils sing a range of songs which support key events during the year. Time is provided for reflection, prayer and response, enabling pupils to engage spiritually through music, celebration and stillness.
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| Thursday
9:10am – 9:30am |
Christian partnership, Christian calendar and spirituality | A visit from St Andrew’s Church, Kenn, to the school for Collective Worship on a Thursday. A Church Representative contributes to worship linked to the Christian Calendar, biblical themes, Christian values and the school’s vision. Worship alternates between key Christian themes and the themes connected with spirituality, wellbeing and mental health. When Sue Astbury or Mrs Garner are not leading, worship may take place in classrooms, providing more opportunities for intimate reflection and discussion. This strengthens the partnership between school and parish.
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| Friday
1:10pm – 1:30pm |
Celebrating, flourishing and living out our vision | Miss Fidler and Miss Laing lead celebration of learning behaviour, sporting achievement, postcards and individual successes. House points and certificates recognise achievement. The weekly flourishing focus provides an opportunity for pupils and staff to share examples of kindness, courage and faith from school, home and the wider community. Classes contribute to their flourishing books, helping pupils recognise that Christian values are lived out beyond the worship in school.
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| Thread running through the week: Encounter, Reflection, Response, Connection to the Christian Vision, Flourishing, Justice and Responsibility, Pupil Leadership, Partnership with the Local Church
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‘Sowing Kindness, Courage and Faith so that all can Flourish’
Matthew 13 1 – 9 ‘The seeds planted in God’s good ground became strong and tall’.
Matthew 13 1 – 9 (NIV), 13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
In these verses we are directed to hold on to the hope we have in Christ in different ways. We are shown that we are all given the gift of choice and free will. With this, we can choose to be kind, courageous and faithful. These ‘seeds’, if planted in good ground, will multiply and acts of goodness will spread from person to person, like fruit growing on a health tree. We are also taught that if we choose not to show these values, nothing will flourish and bloom. There will be no fruits of goodness to share and enjoy. Finally, we are taught to be true to ourselves and those around us. We must act honestly and faithfully towards our beliefs, whether they are Christian or otherwise.
Our school values support our vision
- Kindness through developing bonds across the school community as we work and play and care for each other. John 15:13 The greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for his friends.
- Kindness through all our interactions with each other. Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
- Courage by taking ownership of our actions, respecting others and seeking to repair any wrongs we have made. Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another.
- Courage to forgive because we understand that we all make mistakes. Matthew 18:22” How often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No!” Jesus replied, “seventy times seven!
- Faith by valuing every individual for their uniqueness celebrating similarities and differences and all that they bring to our school community. 1 Peter 2:16 Show respect for everyone.
| Sowing kindness, courage and faith so all can flourish
Every CW links back to our school vision and why this is important to our Kenn community |
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| Autumn A | Autumn B | Spring A | Spring B | Summer A | Summer B | |
| Christian Calendar | Harvest | Christmas | Candlemas and Epiphany | Lent and Easter | Pentecost | Trinity |
| Christian Value | Kindness | Kindness | Courage | Courage | Faith | Faith |
| Bible Links (Year A) | The Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13 1 – 9
Loving others as we love ourselves (Mark 12.31) 13
Giving sacrificially (Luke 21.1-4) 16
Kindness through developing bonds across the school community as we work and play and care for each other (John 15:13)
Giving cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9.7) 19
Caring for creation (Genesis 2.15) 22
Giving our time (Nehemiah) 25 Celebrating Harvest: Giving as God gives (Psalm 65.13-19) 28 |
Noticing a need (Mark 6.34) 33
Being a good neighbour (Luke 10.25-37) 36
Putting on the right attitude (Colossians 3.12) 39
Kindness through all our interactions with each other (Colossians 3:12)
Having the courage to care (Exodus 2.1-10) 42
Coming to the rescue (Luke 15.4-6) 45
Celebrating Christmas: God of the unexpected (Luke 2.8-20) 48 |
Stepping out of your comfort zone (Exodus 3-4) 53
Doing the right thing, not the easy thing (Esther 4-8) 56
Facing a challenge (Joshua 2) 59
Overcoming fear (1 John 4.18) 63
Encouraging others (Joshua 1.9) 66
Courage by taking ownership of our actions, respecting others and seeking to repair any wrongs we have made (Ephesians 4:25)
Celebrating Candlemass: Trusting God’s promises (Luke 2.21-40) 70 |
Wiping the slate clean (Colossians 3.13) 75
Turning over a new leaf (Luke 19.1-10) 78
Forgiving others as God has forgiven you (Matthew 18.21-35) 81
Beginning again (Luke 15.11-32) 84
Putting the past behind us (Psalm 32.1) 87
Courage to forgive because we understand that we all make mistakes (Matthew 18:22)
Celebrating Lent and Easter: When darkness turned to light (Ephesians 1.7) 90
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Sticking together (Proverbs 18.24) 97
Encouraging one another (1 Thessalonians 5.11) 100
Supporting one another (Luke 5.17-39) 103
Making time for each other (Luke 10.38-42) 106
Learning to listen (Proverbs 17.17) 109
Faith by valuing every individual for their uniqueness celebrating similarities and differences and all that they bring to our school community (1 Peter 2:16)
Celebrating Pentecost: Knowing God’s presence (Acts 2) 112 |
Remembering to pray for others (Ephesians 6.18) 117
Valuing difference (Luke 7.1-10) 120
Valuing others as we would like to be valued (Matthew 7.12) 123
Valuing special places (Matthew 21.12-17) 126
Valuing different opinions (1 Peter 2.17) 129
Celebrating Trinity: God’s never-ending love (Psalm 8.9) 132 |
For more information about how the Trust vision was created and the guiding principles behind this vision, please visit the Ivy Education Trust website:
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