Worship

Our school values are at the core of everything we do. They underpin our teaching and learning, and provide an environment in which we seek to build happiness and success for all.

Our Christian Vision:

Rooted in Jesus, and Fruitful in Mission and Service. 

Bentley Heath Church of England Primary School has a living Christian foundation following the teaching of Jesus, whereby we seek for everyone in our School community to be Rooted and Fruitful in Him.   We live out this faith by following Jesus’ command to: “Love one another as I have loved you.”  (John 15:12)

We recognise that everyone is uniquely made in the image and likeness of God, and therefore everyone is welcome and important here.  We are committed to providing a safe environment in which children and adults can flourish.

We are a community together with St Philip’s Dorridge and St James’ Bentley Heath, which shares life together, laughter and joy, sadness and tears, fostering strength in togetherness – giving and receiving forgiveness.

We value all God’s children and are determined to provide an education for the children entrusted to us  that enables them to appreciate it as a blessing and a life-long treasure; out of the  richness and challenge, enjoyment, wonder and surprise that we aim to offer.

We provide teaching and learning opportunities for all children to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and the Spiritual wisdom necessary to achieve their potential and to recognise themselves and each other as God’s work in progress as we try to be more like Jesus.

We set our sights on living and learning in this Christian community to renew hearts and minds and to lay down the foundations for lives lived Rooted in Jesus, and Fruitful in mission and service, as we journey together in faith.

Prayer & Reflection Areas

​Each classroom has a Prayer & Reflection area, which is referred to regularly in worship in the classroom, RE lessons and other times in the day. They are a place where the children can come and ponder, reflect and pray. The areas contain a variety of artefacts including: crosses, shells, figures, objects from the natural world and books to engage the children in thought and prayer.

Children are free to add items to the Prayer and Reflection area, if they choose, and to take an item back to their table. In this way, the children have a sense of ownership of these areas and somewhere to focus any thoughts, worries or prayers during the school day.

Collective Worship

​At Bentley Heath Church of England Primary School, Collective Worship is a highly valued part of the school day as it is the time when we gather together to affirm what is important to us, to our school and to our world. Here, the school affirms its Christian foundation which promotes the values of the school and represents the faith stance of some teachers and children. It provides an opportunity for pupils to worship God, whilst seeking to be relevant to, and inclusive of, all. It reflects our Christian tradition as well as exploring with pupils and staff a variety of ways in which Christians worship God.

In acts of Collective Worship in our school it is recognised that in our school community, some members will come from families with a commitment to the Christian faith, others from families with a commitment to another faith and yet others will have no particular commitment to any tradition. Therefore the content and language of collective worship allows for different levels of response. It invites rather than coerces.

Religious Education
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Our curriculum reflects Christian beliefs and values, but we are also committed to learning about the faith and culture of others’, showing respect and understanding of differing beliefs.  The school adheres to the Solihull Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.

RE provides a key context to develop young people’s understanding and appreciation of diversity, to promote shared values and to challenge racism and discrimination in all its forms. RE subject matter gives particular opportunities to promote an ethos of respect for others, challenge stereotypes and build understanding of other cultures and beliefs. This contributes to promoting a positive and inclusive school ethos that champions democratic values and human rights.

Children experience visits to other places of worship, such as; The Solihull Shul (Synagogue), Gudwara in Leamington Spa and Coventry Cathedral.  This is a great opportunity for children to explore the ‘spiritual’, ‘moral’, ‘social’ and ‘cultural’ (SMSC) aspects of different faiths and religions and to celebrate the increasingly diverse nature of our school. We often ask children of different faiths to ‘be the expert’, sharing their knowledge, experiences and beliefs with the rest of the class.