Spirtuality
At High Hurstwood Church of England Primary School, we create a learning environment that promotes respect, diversity and self-awareness. We equip all our pupils with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values they need to succeed in their future lives. We have following defintion that we worked with the pupils on as follows:
"Spirituality is not always something we can see; it can be something we feel inside ourselves."
Spiritual development focuses on each individual's personal beliefs, values and resulting behaviours.
Through spiritual development, children learn to understand their own feelings and emotions, enabling them to reflect, grow and learn.
What Does Spiritual Development Look Like?
We recognise that pupils are developing spiritually when they demonstrate:
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Reflection and respect – the ability to reflect on their own beliefs (religious or otherwise) that shape their perspective on life, and show interest in and respect for different people's faiths, feelings and values
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Wonder and curiosity – a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them
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Creativity and reflection – the use of imagination and creativity in their learning, and a willingness to reflect on their experiences
Our Learning Environment and Curriculum
At High Hurstwood Church of England Primary School, our learning environment and curriculum provide rich opportunities for pupils to:
- Explore and Wonder: Be curious and express feelings of delight and wonder through scientific investigations, discovering new life, and exploring the global landscape
- Develop Empathy: Empathise and consider different viewpoints through debates, drama activities, discussing feelings and connecting with characters in stories
- Understand Beliefs and Values: Consider how beliefs can shape people's lifestyles through RE, Collective Worship, investigating communities and faiths, and historical case studies
- Reflect on Progress: Discuss what they have achieved and what they need to do to succeed in the future through self-assessment and target-setting activities
- Find Time for Reflection: Our pupils have dedicated time and space within school to think and reflect, including: Reflection areas in every classroom, Our spiritual area in the School House Garden, Our whole-school prayer space in the hallway (featuring a pew from Holy Trinity Church), Church services at Holy Trinity Church, Daily Collective Worship and our school prayer (created by the pupils themselves)
- Develop Self-Understanding: Develop a sense of who they are, what they value and what they want to change about themselves through PSHE, RE and Collective Worship
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Live by Our Values:
* Be guided by our clear set of Christian values: belief, curiosity, kindness and resilience
* Embrace our school motto: BEE – Belong, Enjoy and Excel
Please see our SMSC, Religous Education and Collective Worship policy on policies page by clicking here.