Collective Worship, Spirituality & Siams
Collective Worship is integral to the ethos of our school. As a school with strong Christian foundations we value this special time daily, when we come together to explore, discuss and reflect on Christian faith.
Our collective worship not only focusses on key Christian festivals such as Christmas, Easter and Lent the children but children also have an opportunity to think about significant festivals and events of other key religions (e.g Divali, Hannukah) and when possible hear from leaders of other faiths.
We enjoy a close relationship with St Sebastian's Church, with the local vicar and/or members of the Parish leading at least one act of worship weekly.
Our termly themes are based on a wide variety of themes and utilise appropriate resources, including those produced by the Oxford Diocese.
Our Collective worship gives pupils and school staff the opportunity to:
- Engage in an act of community.
- Express praise and thanksgiving to God.
- Be still and reflect.
- Explore the big questions of life and respond to national events.
- Foster respect and deepen spiritual awareness.
- Reflect on the character of God and on the teachings of Christ.
- Affirm Christian values and attitudes.
- Share each other's joys and challenges.
- Celebrate special times in the Christian calendar.
Click here to be redirected to the Oxford Diocese School area.
*Parents/Carers have the right to withdraw their child from Collective Worship.
The Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) is the Church of England and Methodist Church’s outworking of the requirements of section 48 of the Education Act 2005. It is a key element of the life of all Church of England and Methodist schools in England.
SIAMS explores ways in which each school’s theologically rooted Christian vision drives its work and enables the school to live up to its foundation as a Church school. It does so by seeking to answer six or (in the case of Voluntary Aided schools) seven Inspection Questions (IQs).
IQ1: How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision enable pupils and adults to flourish?
IQ2: How does the curriculum reflect the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision?
IQ3: How is collective worship enabling pupils and adults to flourish spiritually?
IQ4: How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision create a culture in which pupils and adults are treated well?
IQ5: How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision create an active culture of justice and responsibility?
IQ6: Is the religious education curriculum effective (with reference to the expectations set out in the Church of England’s Statement of Entitlement for Religious Education)?
IQ7: What is the quality of religious education in voluntary aided and former voluntary aided schools, and in former voluntary controlled schools in which denominational religious education is taught?
SIAMS inspection focuses on the impact of the Church school's Christian vision on pupils and adults. This involves looking at the school’s Christian vision, the provision the school makes because of this vision and how effective this provision is in enabling all pupils to flourish. Church schools will employ a variety of strategies and styles appropriate to, and reflective of, their particular context in order to be distinctively and effectively Christian in their character and ethos. SIAMS inspectors therefore do not look for a set template of what a Church school should be like, but rather take the particular context of the school into account and base their evaluation on the outcomes rather than the process.
Inspectors make one of two judgements:
The inspection findings indicate that the school is living up to its foundation as a Church school, and is enabling pupils and adults to flourish.
Or
The inspection findings indicate that the school has strengths, but that there are also issues that leaders need to address as a matter of priority.
Our last inspection was in December 2017.