Inter Faith Week

But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8

During the week of 27th to 31st of January this year, we celebrated our very first Inter Faith Week. It was a fantastic celebration of the 5 other major religions and an opportunity to highlight the many similarities as well as differences between those faiths and Christianity. Each cluster of year groups learnt about a different religion:

• Nursery and Reception - Hinduism
• Year 1 - Buddhism
• Year 2 - Judaism
• Year 3/4 - Sikhism
• Year 5/6 - Islam 

We started off the week with a whole school worship to introduce the week and explore individuality. During each afternoon, we did a range of activities such as singing, dancing, artwork and looking at artefacts. Some of us focused on our chosen faith in our Literacy lessons, too. On Friday we gathered back together to share a little of what we had learnt in another whole school celebration.

We recorded our thoughts and prayers on hearts, which we displayed all around the hall to surround ourselves with the feeling of acceptance, diversity and shared values that we had gathered from each of the faiths.

It was a fantastic week! We are keen for this to become an annual event!

Our Ethos Group - Serving as Jesus would

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

                                                                                                                                                                                                         Matthew 5:16

Our Ethos Group consists of Year 6 children dedicated to promoting and evaluating our status as a Christian school with Jesus at the centre. We meet weekly to plan assemblies and specific faith activities, such as our Faith Week and to advise staff on how to create spiritual spaces around school inside and out, that best serve all our children.

We are looking forward to working closely with our new vicar to deliver exciting, thought-provoking and encouraging assemblies. We are also working closely with individual year groups to create class prayers.

We are also looking to work closely with our School Council on charity events and fundraising to ensure they reflect our Christian values and ethos.

Please click on the link to read the minutes from our last meeting.

Religious Education and Acts of Collective Worship

St Paul's is a Church of England School functioning within the partnership of the Church and the Local Education Authority. Its Christian nature is an important aspect of the school's life.  The religious teaching is in accordance with the Stockport Agreed Syllabus but this is also supplemented by specific Church teaching. The learning is usually through discreet focus questions from the syllabus, but is sometimes linked to our class topic focus where relevant.

There is a daily Act of Worship led by staff, our Ethos Group children or other speakers from a variety of backgrounds. These often focus on elements or examples of our current Christian value focus. At other times, they celebrate other faiths, special festivals or charity events, which may be led by the School Council.

On Thursday, there is a separate Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Act of Worship, led by staff and often supported by children.  

On Friday, we run Key Stage celebration assemblies where we award two children from each class with a certificate for demonstrating our school values in or outside the classroom. 

Our new vicar, Reverend Lynne Cullens is looking to visit us every few weeks to lead a Wednesday Worship. She will be supported by a newly appointed associate vicar who will also lead Worship.

Withdrawal from Religious Education and Acts of Collective Worship

Acts of worship take place daily. If you do not feel your child can join in with our collective worship, this may not be the right school for you. Arrangements for the withdrawal of pupils is made on parental request and through discussions with the Headteacher and Chairperson of Governors.