Spirituality

It is very difficult to put into words what ‘spirituality’ actually is because it is a very personal experience. It differs from person to person, and often spirituality changes within people during their lifetime. Spirituality concerns a person's relationship with themselves, with others, with God (or transcendence) and with nature and the environment. Spirituality is not the same as having a religion or faith; a person can be spiritual without having a particular faith.

As a school, we have defined spirituality as:

“Spirituality is not something we can see; it is something we feel inside ourselves. It is about awe and wonder, asking questions, inspiration and being aware of something ‘bigger’ outside of ourselves."

When considering Spiritual Development, we look at the following areas.

For each area we aim that the children should have opportunities to observe, reflect and transform.

We call these windows, mirrors, doors and candle moments. 

 

Mirror Moments

Thinking about myself

Mirror moments are one way for us all to explore our own spirituality; they encourage us to consider how we feel about ourselves and our place in God’s creation. These moments give us the opportunity to reflect upon our own experiences.  They allow us to think about life’s big questions and consider some possible answers.  These moments allow us to learn from life by exploring our own insights and perspectives and those of others. Mirror moments help us to  understand that we are not alone if we struggle with our own confidence or negative thoughts about ourselves from time to time.  We can encourage others to recognise the positives too.  Mirror moments remind us that Christian’s believe that we are all special and unique creations made in the image of God who are all truly valued and loved.

Door Moments

Thinking about others

Door moments are one way to explore our own spirituality and how this relates to our relationships with others. This reflection focusses on serving others as an outworking of our spirituality, understanding our place in creation as part of a community.  These moments help us to put our beliefs and values into action to help others. 

Window Moments

Thinking about the beauty of the world

 

Window moments give opportunities to become aware of the world in new ways.  Learning about life in all its fullness.  This includes both the things that amaze us and the things that challenge us.  We call these the ‘wows’ and the ‘ows’.  

Candle Moments

Thinking beyond the things we can see

Candle moments are looking beyond what we can see. This reflection helps us to think about God’s Holy Spirit and how His spirit can be evident in our lives and the world around us.  Candle moments may be used for prayer, connecting with God and even just trying to make sense of the world. 

 

Children’s spiritual development is fostered through all aspects of our provision. It is about the relationships and the values that we consider to be important, as well as the development of knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes. We give children opportunities to:

• Express personal beliefs and compare views with others, sharing feelings and opinions through discussions and stories.
• Begin to develop their own system of beliefs which may or may not include religious beliefs.
• Experience a love of learning through rewarding their enthusiasm and by encouraging exploratory play and learning.
• Reflect upon the world around them and show a sense of awe and wonder towards aspects of the natural world or human achievement.
• Reflect on the situations of others through role play, stories.
• Experience a range of stories, music, art, drama and dance