Prayer and Liturgy

The Aims of Prayer & Liturgy

We believe that Prayer & Liturgy in our school should provide all pupils and staff with the opportunity to:

• enrich their religious experience
• grow in liturgical understanding and development
• experience a sense of belonging and develop community spirit
• participate fully
• reflect on spiritual and moral issues
• respond to and celebrate life
• contemplate something of the mystery of God.   

What is Prayer and Liturgy?

Prayer and Liturgy is the time we take each day giving praise and thanks to God. This is at the heart of everything we do at St Bernadette's. The Prayer and Liturgy Directory guides prayer life in the school and informs our policy for Prayer and Liturgy. 

The Sunday Gospel reading is shared during our weekly gospel assembly. During this assembly the children hear and respond to the message from the readings. The children are set a mission each week, where they think about what Jesus is teaching us and how they can act out these teachings in our everyday life. The children are taught traditional prayers and the parts of the Mass are taught during hymn practice.

Each day children say traditional and  school prayers and there are also opportunities for the children to reflect quietly and pray for their own personal intentions. Each week the whole school joins together for hymn practice. This is to rejoice in prayer through song and to prepare the children for singing at Mass. 

It is always very special to be able to gather in Church to worship and celebrate Mass. We are very lucky to have our Parish church so close to us. Parents and parishioners are regularly invited to join us in the celebration of Mass.

We are very proud of our Mini-Vinnies and Year 6 pupils who regularly read at Mass and lead our Celebration of the Word. Year 6 enjoy Bible Buddies each week, where they share Bible stories with our FS2 children. 

           Throughout the liturgical calendar, the children participate in prayerful activities such as:

•  Advent/Lent Prayer Trails 
• One Life Music daily reflections (Open for Lent/Advent)
• Daily devotions to Our Lady during the month of May 
• Crowning of Our Lady
• Remembrance Day 
• Holy Week Gallery 
• Stations of the Cross 
• Retreat Days 

We acknowledge the legal requirement that there must be a daily act of worship for all pupils. (This can take place at any time during the school day and can be either a single act of worship for all pupils, or separate acts of worship in school groups.) The act of worship is not designated curriculum time under regulations and will not be subsumed under any part of the curriculum, including Religious Education. 

At the bottom of this page you can view our progression in prayer document. This sets out the skills and expectation required for each year group. The progression document has been created following the Prayer and Liturgy Directory 'To Love You More Dearly'. A copy of the progression document can be found in our policy for Prayer and Liturgy. 

Prayer is promoted at home. We believe that parents are the first educators and play an essential role in supporting their child's faith journey.  We send home our fortnightly newsletter containing the Sunday Gospel and we also send home the monthly Ten:Ten Prayer and Liturgy newsletter. Prayer bags are sent home during ordinary time and Advent in EYFS and Key Stage 1. 

Definition of Prayer and Liturgy 

The Prayer and Liturgy Directory 'To love you more dearly' defines prayer and liturgy.  Below are the definitions from the Directory. 

Prayer

Prayer has been traditionally described as ‘lifting up of the hearts and minds to God’, which means it involves our whole person – our head as well as our heart. This definition expresses a fundamental understanding that God is concerned and interested about what goes on in our lives; is due our expression of thanksgiving and gratitude; and responds to us when we express our needs. This basic dynamic of recognition, thanksgiving,
and intercession forms the core of all prayer and liturgy.

Celebration of the Word

As the time allotted to prayer lengthens and the number of people involved grows, there is a corresponding need for more formal structures. The
term ‘celebration of the word’ is used in the Directory for celebrations which are created for the school community and not directly taken from the liturgical books of the Church.These celebrations will take many forms, but the common element is the proclamation of scripture. These include assemblies, carol services, and other gatherings of all or part of the school community for special times and occasions. They may draw upon elements of the liturgy, such as its texts, symbols, and gestures, which help to reinforce their Catholic nature, but the various
elements may be used with greater creative freedom than in the liturgy itself. 

Liturgy

The most familiar forms of the liturgy celebrated in school are the Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The liturgical books, such as the Roman Missal and the Lectionary, set out the structure to be followed, the words to be spoken, the gestures to be performed, and the symbols to be used when celebrating a liturgy.

Who should be involved in Prayer and Liturgy?

Pupils – they must have the opportunity to take part in daily prayer. They will plan and lead prayer and Celebration of the Word. They will write prayers for Mass and liturgies. 

Teachers – they plan and enable prayer and liturgy to take place each day

All staff – they are invited to participate in all acts of prayer 

Parents/Parish – they too are invited to participate in acts of prayer and liturgy during class assemblies, Celebration of the Word, Mass. 

Where should Prayer and Liturgy take place?

• In the classrooms
• In the hall
• In church
• In the open if appropriate

Celebration of the Word 

Parents and carers are invited into school on a weekly basis to join a class for their Celebration of the Word.

The children plan the Celebration of the Word using the Emmaus model. They choose how to gather, an appropriate reading is chosen, they then choose how to respond to what they have heard and choose a mission to go forth and act upon what they have heard. The children prepare the prayer space, using the appropriate liturgical colour and other relevant religious artefacts. 

The children plan and evaluate their Celebration of the Word. In EYFS and Key Stage 1 the evaluation is done verbally as a whole class. In Key Stage 2 this is recorded in the class Faith Journey book. 

How should Prayer Liturgy be delivered?

Prayer and liturgy can take many forms:

• Can be led by pupils, staff or visitors
• Can be offered for a class, a phase or whole school
• Should use a balance of quiet reflection, silence, prayers, responses, music, songs, dance, drama, slides, video or short address
• Should provide a focus using artefacts, candles, symbols and lighting
• Ensures the theme, focus, delivery, length and resources are appropriate to the interests, age range, backgrounds and abilities of the pupils
• Respect the freedom of pupils and staff in the invitation to prayer and worship
• Set an appropriate atmosphere with a sense of order and occasion, including entry and exit
• Ensure the possibility of conscious, active participation of all present

How should Liturgy be planned, recorded and evaluated?

Planned

• Through/with reference to the church’s seasons, significant dates and the RE Curriculum
• With the flexibility to respond to changing situations with the school and the wider community

Recorded

• Through displays, prayers, photographs, Faith Journey 
• Through planning to keep note of themes, leaders, pupil groupings

Evaluated

• By staff and pupils on a regular basis

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