Christian Distinctiveness

Living Out Our Distinctive Christian Ethos

At Spetisbury, our Christian ethos isn’t something separate—it’s the thread that runs through all we do. It shapes our relationships, inspires our learning, and guides our decisions as a school community.

We strive to live out this ethos by:

Creating a vibrant and reflective learning environment, where the teachings of Christ connect meaningfully with everyday life and inspire both thought and action.
Nurturing a culture of kindness, acceptance and mutual respect, where every child and adult is seen, valued and supported.
Responding to each child as an individual, recognising their unique needs and strengths, and building their confidence through encouragement and learning from mistakes—without fear of failure.
Fostering genuine partnerships between adults and children, where learning is collaborative and responsibility is shared across our community.
Honouring the role of families, listening with respect to parents’ beliefs, hopes and concerns, and working together to support each child’s journey.
Connecting school with the wider world, offering opportunities for children to engage with and contribute to the community around them through acts of service, outreach and shared celebration.
Providing a curriculum rich in both challenge and joy, blending academic excellence with curiosity, creativity and a deep appreciation of God’s creation. We aim to cultivate sensitivity, wonder and a sense of prayerfulness in all we do.

Empowering Pupils Through Faith and Learning

We want our pupils to grow not just in knowledge, but in wisdom, compassion and understanding. Through our Christian ethos and curriculum, we aim to give them space and support to:
Reflect on what they believe, and why—building a thoughtful, personal sense of meaning and purpose.
Understand how Christian faith influences lives, and how its teachings can shape values and choices.
Experience awe, wonder and curiosity as they explore life’s big questions, and develop a sense of reverence for the world around them.
Learn about right and wrong, and how their actions affect others—growing in moral awareness and empathy.
Think creatively and critically, using imagination and reflection to explore their own ideas and respect the beliefs of others.
Celebrate diversity, and build an inclusive school community where all cultures, backgrounds and perspectives are welcomed and valued.

Collective Worship

At Spetisbury, our Collective Worship is a central and valued part of school life—bringing us together as a community, grounding us in Christian values, and encouraging reflection, curiosity, and inspiration.

Rooted in the rhythm of the Church calendar, our worship reflects the key moments of the Christian year and helps shape the spiritual journey of our school. We follow the “A Fresh Approach” planning framework from the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester, which supports both structure and creativity in our approach.

Our worship is also shaped by a close partnership with St John the Baptist Church, and our local vicar plays an active role in weekly worship and wider school life.

🔄 A Typical Week of Worship

Our Collective Worship includes a variety of voices, themes and formats to ensure it is engaging, relevant and reflective for all:

Monday – Whole school worship led by the Headteacher
Tuesday – Whole school worship led by the Headteacher or a visiting speaker
Wednesday – Worship led by our Vicar or the Bible Story Team
Thursday – Singing and Praise Worship led by teaching staff
Friday – Celebration Worship led by senior leaders, with an open invitation for families and the wider school community

🌿 Worship in the Hands of Children

We have a dedicated Collective Worship Team made up of pupils who take an active role in leading, planning and shaping worship. These children support the delivery of assemblies and help create reflective spaces around the school. Their involvement gives pupil voice a meaningful platform and encourages spiritual leadership.

🌍 Our Worship Ethos: Inclusive · Invitational · Inspiring

Inclusive

Worship at Spetisbury is a shared space where everyone is welcome, and every voice matters. Children are encouraged to explore, question, reflect, and contribute in ways that feel authentic to them. Whether joining in or quietly observing, every child’s response is respected. Worship is enriched by the diverse experiences and beliefs of our school community, and pupils are increasingly involved in planning and leading it.

Invitational

Worship is an open invitation—not a requirement. We warmly welcome all members of our school community—children, staff, parents and visitors—into a space of shared reflection. Our worship is rooted in Christian tradition, but always respectful of those from other faiths or none. Prayer is offered, never imposed, with space for everyone to reflect in ways that align with their own beliefs.

Inspiring

We want worship to spark something—whether that’s a new thought, a challenging question, or a call to action. It’s a time for stillness, story, song and reflection—a space to consider the deeper things in life. Our aim is for every act of worship to help children grow as thoughtful individuals, courageous advocates, and hopeful members of a wider world.

Collective Worship Policy

Spirituality at Spetisbury

🌿 What is Spirituality?

Spirituality is one of the most personal and profound aspects of being human—difficult to define, yet deeply felt. It isn’t limited to religion or belief systems. Rather, it’s about finding meaning, nurturing self-awareness, appreciating beauty, and developing a sense of connection to others and the wider world. It evolves throughout life and looks different for every individual.

At Spetisbury, we describe our spirituality through the image of a growing tree—rooted in community, reaching outward and upward in strength, hope, and discovery.

“A tree is known by its fruit.”
— Matthew 12:33
Just as a tree is known by what it produces, we believe our school is known by its children—their kindness, curiosity, and the values they live by.

Spirituality is woven into the fabric of our school life. It brings depth and purpose to learning, and it helps children grow into thoughtful, compassionate, and reflective people.

✨ How We Nurture Spiritual Development

We provide regular opportunities for all members of our school community—children and adults alike—to explore spirituality in both structured and spontaneous ways. While rooted in our distinctive Christian ethos, our approach is open, inclusive, and respectful of all backgrounds and beliefs.

Spiritual development happens in:

Collective Worship
Thoughtful classroom discussion
Creative and expressive arts
Stillness and reflection
Spontaneous moments of wonder, empathy or imagination

We follow the Windows, Mirrors, Doors model, which supports children in exploring the world, reflecting on themselves, and responding with action:

Windows

“Looking out”

We help children notice the world with fresh eyes—seeing beauty, struggle, joy, and diversity in all its forms. These moments build awe and wonder, and help pupils begin to ask big questions about life, meaning, and purpose.

Mirrors

“Looking in”

We give children space to reflect on their own thoughts, feelings, beliefs and experiences. This supports their growing sense of identity and empathy, as they learn to understand themselves and respect others' perspectives.

Doors

“Going forward”

We encourage children to turn reflection into action—making positive choices, expressing their values, and responding to the world around them with courage and compassion. This could be through acts of kindness, advocacy, creativity or service.

Spirituality at Spetisbury is not an add-on—it’s part of how we grow together. As a Church of England school, we believe that nurturing the spirit is just as important as developing the mind or strengthening the body. Through a rich blend of thought, faith, imagination and experience, we help children grow into the people they are called to be.

SpetisburyCofE Primary School