Collective Worship
As a Catholic school, prayer and worship are at the heart of our daily life. Through daily prayer, worship, and liturgy, children are given opportunities to grow socially, morally, and spiritually. They experience worship in many forms — from celebration and song to times of quiet reflection and stillness. Both staff and pupils take a leading role, ensuring that prayer and worship are meaningful, joyful, and central to our school community.
Weekly Worship Timetable
Daily prayer
We pray three times every day:
Beginning of the day
Each day starts with time for some reflection, and then saying our school morning prayer together:
Morning Prayer
O my God, I give you today,
All that I think and do and say,
And I offer it up for all that was done,
By Jesus Christ your Holy Son,
St Clement, help us to grow together in faith, love and learning.
Amen.
Before lunch, we thank God for the food that we are about to eat, and all those who have helped prepare the food:
Grace before Meals KS1
Bless us, O God, as we sit together,
Bless the food we eat today,
Bless the hands that make the food.
And bless us, O Lord.
Amen.
Grace before Meals KS2
Bless us, O God, as we sit together,
Bless the food we eat today,
Bless the hands that make the food.
And bless us, O Lord.
Please bless all the hungry children who will not eat today.
Amen.
At the end of the day, we come together to thank God for all of His blessings that day and ask that He will continue to keep us safe. We say our end of Day Prayer:
End of Day Prayer
God our Father, I come to say
Thank you for your love today.
Thank you for my family,
And all the friends you give to me.
Guard me in the dark of night,
And in the morning send your light.
Amen.
Celebration collective worship
Every other Friday, the whole school community comes together for a time of collective worship. We celebrate the achievements of the school, awards are presented and one child in each class is chosen to receive the Values Cross. We end the week together by praying the end-of-day prayer and thanking God for all He has helped us to achieve that week.
Mass
Throughout the year, we have the joy of celebrating the Sacrament of the Eucharist in school. Our local Parish Priest Fr. Alexander comes to school and celebrates Mass throughout the year. Our Worship leaders and pupils help to prepare and lead the Mass through Altar Serving, reading and bringing up the gifts during Mass. On different occasions, parents and guardians are invited to join us for Mass in school.
Liturgies
Throughout the year, to mark important events in the Church’s liturgical year, we hold special Liturgies.
Nativity
EYFS and KS1 begin our Nativity preparations through their performances of the Christmas story.
Advent service
Each year, Key Stage Two children lead the school in an Advent Service at St Clement's Catholic Church. The story of the Nativity is retold through scripture and carols. Parents and guardians are invited to join us for this special time of worship.
Easter service
Every Lent, the children re-enact the Passion and Resurrection of Christ through drama, scripture and music. We are joined every year by parents and guardians for this special occasion in preparation for Easter.
Growing closer to God
In its simplest form, prayer is defined as “talking to God.” It is a personal time of opening our hearts to our Heavenly Father and bringing everything in our hearts to Him. Through the Apostle Paul, God asked us to pray. Prayer can be a powerful force for change in our lives, and the importance of doing it on a daily basis should be instilled in our children.
Communication is the foundation for success in any relationship. When we communicate openly and freely with each other, we learn to know each other as individuals. This principle also applies to our relationship with God. By talking to God, we can learn more about who He is and what plan He has for us.
Prayer has a purpose
It is important that our children understand that there is a purpose to prayer. Jesus frequently prayed during His life on Earth. He had a reason for doing so. Our prayers are something that God deeply desires. But our prayers are not for His benefit; as a perfect Divine Being, God is complete in His power and knowledge. Our prayers are for our benefit, and this is what we need to teach our children.
