Spirituality at Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School
‘Look In, Look Out, Look Up’
Why Is Spirituality Important?
The Church of England’s Vision for education expresses a core desire for “life in all its fullness.” As a Church of England school, we are committed to educating and nurturing the whole child, supporting their social, moral, spiritual and cultural growth.
At Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School, we encourage children to explore spirituality by offering meaningful opportunities for stillness, reflection and wonder. Through these experiences, we aim to help every child become happy, feel loved, healthy and fulfilled.
Developing Spirituality at Our School
Spiritual development is integral to our school vision. We provide opportunities that help children reflect on and think about:
- Themselves (looking in)
- Their relationships with others (looking out)
- God and the teachings of Jesus (looking up)
LOOKING IN
“We help children understand self-love, self-awareness and self-worth so they can grow with confidence and kindness.”
At Thomas Bewick, ‘Looking In’ means:
- Developing awareness of their own feelings and learning to reflect on them
- Recognising their uniqueness and feeling happy with who they are
- Practising gratitude for the things they have and the person they are becoming
- Beginning to explore their own personal faith
LOOKING OUT
“We love each other. We show care and respect to others and our surroundings. We are compassionate and understand how others can be feeling.”
At Thomas Bewick, LOOKING OUT means:
- Showing empathy and understanding, particularly in relation to injustice and inequality
- Learning both to love and to be loved
- Becoming someone who makes a positive difference
LOOKING UP
“Rooted in Jesus’ teaching about letting all that we do be done in love, children understand the teachings of Jesus and how he demonstrated love within the Bible.”
At Thomas Bewick, LOOKING UP means:
- Encountering and experiencing God
- Taking part in prayer and moments of reflection
- Making sense of the world around them
- Remaining open to questions, curiosity and a deeper understanding
- Understanding and follow Jesus’ teachings
How Children and Staff Experience Spirituality in School
Our children encounter a wide range of opportunities to develop their spirituality throughout their time with us. Our spirituality ‘map on a page’ shows the opportunities we give our children and staff. These include but are not limited to:
- Daily acts of Collective Worship, either whole-school or class-based
- Reflection linked to worship themes
- Light Ambassadors planning and leading worship
- Opportunities for children to lead prayers
- Singing and participation in our school choir or through singing praises
- Story time that promotes thought and reflection
- A weekly Celebration Worship; Rewards and recognition that celebrate children’s strengths and achievements
- Classroom and outdoor Reflection Areas where children can pause for quiet thought or prayer
- Educational visits to places of worship
- Thought-provoking displays that inspire reflection
- ‘Awe and wonder’ moments, such as nature walks, building snowmen, or cloud-watching
- A Positive Relationships and Behaviour policy that encourages children to reflect on their choices, understand mistakes, and learn from them.
Spirituality in Our Curriculum
Our ambitious enquiry-based curriculum gives children opportunities to explore big questions and engage in meaningful spiritual experiences.
Children’s spiritual development is shown through:
- Their beliefs-religious or otherwise-that shape their perspectives and choices
- The respect they show for others’ feelings, values and beliefs
- Their sense of enjoyment and wonder when learning about themselves, others and the world
- Their imagination and creativity
- Their confidence in reflecting on their own experiences
The Impact of Spirituality
As their spirituality develops, our children grow in confidence and self-awareness. They begin to recognise their own potential and celebrate their strengths. They show empathy towards others, both within school and beyond, and approach the world with curiosity and an open mind.
Our children are able to express and understand their feelings, have a strong moral sense of right and wrong, and appreciate both stillness and creativity. Most importantly, spirituality helps them to show love, care, compassion and kindness to themselves and to others.
