At Bentley Heath Church of England Primary School, Collective Worship is a cherished and distinctive part of each school day. It is the time when our whole community pauses to come together, reflect, give thanks, and explore what it means to live out our Christian vision: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

Our worship affirms the Christian foundation of our school and helps pupils and adults reflect on the values that guide our life together. Worship offers everyone – children and staff alike – opportunities to grow spiritually, develop moral understanding and deepen a sense of belonging within our school family.

Our Approach to Worship

Collective Worship at Bentley Heath is planned and delivered in ways that are creative, engaging and spiritually enriching. Acts of worship reflect our Christian tradition, while also drawing on the richness of Anglican practice and the wider life of the Church. They invite pupils to:

Engage in an act of community
Express praise and thanksgiving
Be still, reflect and wonder
Explore big questions about life and faith
Deepen spiritual awareness
Celebrate the seasons of the Church year
Share our joys and challenges as a school family

All worship follows our familiar Gather – Engage – Respond – Send structure, ensuring a clear rhythm and purpose to each session and helping children understand how worship shapes the life of our school.

We like to share what we are doing with our community so that conversations can continue at home. Please see the links below to find out more about the values we have covered so far in worship this year.

Talking to your child about Collective Worship – Perseverance

Talking to your child about Collective Worship – Peace

Inclusive and Invitational

We recognise that our community includes pupils and families from a variety of faith backgrounds and none. Worship at Bentley Heath is therefore inclusive and invitational:

Children are invited, never compelled, to participate in prayer or reflection.
Language is carefully chosen so that all can find meaning, whatever their personal beliefs.
Experiences within worship allow for different levels of engagement—from stillness and quiet reflection to joyful celebration.

This approach ensures that worship reflects the Christian foundation of our school while remaining relevant, respectful and accessible to every member of our community.

A Whole‑School Journey

Collective Worship is carefully planned across the year to explore our Christian vision, our half‑termly values and the big questions raised through Scripture and stories. Worship is led by school staff, clergy from our parish church, and increasingly by our pupils, whose leadership and voice play an important part in shaping the worshipping life of the school.

Through regular whole-school worship, class-based worship, singing worship, outdoor worship, celebrations and reflective opportunities, our aim is that every child experiences worship that encourages them to think deeply, develop spiritually and feel part of something bigger than themselves.

Please click here to view our Collective Worship Overview.

Class Worship

Alongside whole‑school worship, Class Worship plays a vital role in deepening children’s understanding of our Christian vision and values. These smaller, more intimate sessions give pupils the space to reflect, discuss and explore faith in ways that feel personal, age‑appropriate and meaningful.

Class Worship follows the same Gather – Engage – Respond – Send structure used across the school, helping children recognise worship as a consistent and familiar rhythm in their week. Each class has a dedicated worship area or prayer space, equipped with candles, prayer prompts, pictures, Bibles and reflective materials. These spaces grow and evolve over the year, supporting children’s spiritual development and creating opportunities for stillness and wonder.

Every half term, each class uses a Worship Journal, tailored to Key Stage expectations, where pupils record prayers, responses, artwork, questions and reflections. These journals capture the children’s voices and demonstrate how their thinking and spirituality develop over time.

Through Class Worship, pupils experience a safe, welcoming environment where they can:

Reflect on stories from the Bible
Share thoughts and questions with peers
Explore the teachings of Jesus
Develop empathy and understanding
Practise prayer and stillness in age-appropriate ways

Together, these experiences help nurture children’s sense of identity, belonging and spirituality within our school family.

Pupil Leadership in Worship

Pupil leadership is a cherished part of our worshipping life. We believe children should have meaningful opportunities to shape, lead and contribute to Collective Worship, helping them grow in confidence, responsibility and spiritual awareness.

Each year, pupils are invited to apply for roles such as Worship Leaders, where they help plan and support acts of worship, prepare prayer spaces, choose music or readings and model the school’s Christian values to others. These roles affirm that children are active contributors to our school’s Christian distinctiveness and not simply passive recipients.

Children also have regular opportunities to:

Write and share prayers, some of which form part of the liturgy in whole‑school worship
Lead moments of reflection, such as lighting candles or inviting peers into stillness
Offer feedback through Pupil Voice, helping shape the direction and quality of worship over time
Participate in leadership opportunities such as Action Club and FLOURISH, which deepen engagement and enable more authentic pupil‑led worship experiences

This commitment to pupil involvement ensures worship at Bentley Heath is lively, relevant and rooted in the experiences and voices of our children. It also strengthens their understanding that everyone has a part to play in living out our Christian vision: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Please click here to read our Collective Worship Policy.