''Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God''
'Corinthians 1:3-4'
St Edmund’s School Prayer by our Student Council
Dear God,
Thank you for our school.
Help us to learn in peace with the help from our patron saint, St. Edmund. Thank you for giving us the ability to learn through your grace.
Help us to work hard and be kind to everyone.
Thank you for our teachers, families and friends.
Collective worship at St. Edmund’s provides opportunities for spiritual growth and development through participation in a variety of forms of worship and all forms of prayer – formal, informal, spontaneous, private, shared, petitionary and meditative.
We aim to help the children value and respect the power of prayer and to use it to help strengthen the children’s relationship with God.
We want to be a praying community. It is important for children to know the ‘formal’ prayers of the church which we may all pray together and which we all hear and say with the parish / family communities outside school.
We also value ‘formal’ prayers which have been written especially for children and which hold meaning for them. With these two aspects in mind, we aim to teach particular prayers to the children.
Children are encouraged to develop their individual prayer life through daily participation in collective worship, grace before meals and afternoon prayer.
Prayer does not only mean ‘formal’ prayers. We do hope to help each other to listen to God speaking to us and to respond in our hearts and minds during moments or stillness, reflection and silence.
We also encourage prayer writing by the children themselves. Each class has a special Prayer Book which the children take turns to take home and write a prayer inside with their family.
Each class also has a prayer area, which provides a focus for prayer in the classroom. Opportunities for prayer arise often from the current RE scheme, ‘Come and See’.
At St. Edmund’s, the children are taught to know the following prayers:
At St. Edmund’s we have a programme of regular worship, including:
- Regular class prayer times
- Regular Child led class worship
- Weekly school worship and Gospel Assemblies
- Whole school Masses
- Recognising and celebrating Catholic Feast days in the Liturgical calendar
- Class Masses
- Class Assemblies
- Key Stage assemblies and worship
Worshipping in Church
Gospel Assemblies
Hymn Practice and School Choir
At St. Edmund’s we also emphasise the importance of music as a way to unite ourselves to the Church and worship God. We use church music creatively to enrich the prayer life of the school through hymn practice sessions as well as through the school choir.
Prayer at St. Edmund’s Catholic Primary School
At St. Edmund's Catholic Primary School, Jesus is at the heart of everything we do. We strive to be a living, loving, and faith-filled community, guided by the teachings of Christ and the Church.
Acts of worship are an integral part of our daily school life, taking place in a variety of settings. These may include whole-school gatherings, class-based worship, or smaller group reflections. During Collective Worship, we focus on the Word of God, engage with meaningful symbols and rituals, and open our hearts to the presence of God among us.
Exploring the Forms of Prayer
To deepen their connection with God, our children are introduced to a variety of prayer forms that nurture their spiritual growth and understanding of the faith. Each form of prayer offers a unique way to encounter God and reflect on His presence in our lives.
- Formal Prayers: Traditional prayers like the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, and Glory Be are taught and recited regularly.
- Spontaneous Prayer: Children are encouraged to speak to God in their own words, sharing personal thoughts and feelings.
- Meditative Prayer: Practices like silent reflection and the Examen help children quiet their minds and listen to God’s voice.
- Liturgical Prayer: Students actively participate in the prayers of the Church, such as Mass responses and the Prayers of the Faithful.
- Intercessory Prayer: Children pray for the needs of others, from family and friends to the global community.
- Thanksgiving and Praise: Expressing gratitude to God through prayer, hymns, and reflective activities.
- Contemplative Prayer: Quiet time for children to feel God’s presence and reflect on His love.
- Devotional Prayer: Exploring Catholic devotions like the Rosary and Stations of the Cross.
- Scriptural Prayer: Praying with Bible passages, such as the Psalms or Gospel readings, to connect with God’s Word.
Through these diverse forms of prayer, children at St. Edmund’s grow spiritually, learning to embrace faith in both their personal and communal lives.