At Pevensey and Westham Church of England School we live and learn by our Christian vision and values:
Jesus said, “I come to give life – life in all its fullness”
John 10 v10.
Christian beliefs and principles underpin our values and aims, and form part of everyday interactions and activities. As a Church of England school, we believe that our role is to educate the whole child and that the spiritual growth of our children is as important as their academic development. We have a well-planned curriculum that embraces spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It is through the support we give each other that we establish respect, friendship, a sense of belonging and effective team work.
As PaWS, we offer strong spiritual development for our pupils and give them the opportunity to engage with a wealth of experiences, reflect on these and then consider how this can impact the choices they make as well as their impact on the world.
We recognise that spiritual development is everyone’s responsibility and that this can be evident within the ethos of the school, throughout collective worship and the curriculum. This year, we are building on the spirituality of our school community by enabling everyone to articulate when this happens and the impact of it. We have introduced the concept of Windows, Mirrors and Doors whilst reflecting on ‘Wow’ and ‘Ow’ moments to enable everyone to consider what spirituality means for them. Spiritual growth is also about role in preparing children for the storms of life and their ability to cope with adversity.
WOWS -
- Moments of awe and wonder in Forest School - the change in seasons, the wildlife and growth of new food in our allotment.
- Responding to Music or Art and how that makes us feel, including visits to the O2, live music performances in school and opportunities for pupils to showcase their talents.
- Celebrating successes - school productions, sporting fixtures, school trips, Celebration Worship.
OWS -
- Thinking about Big Questions that make us think of others - Remembrance, Mnaida Primary School in Tanzania and support for Eastbourne Foodbank.
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Moments of Sadness - losing a pet or a relative, struggling with anxiety, family breakdowns and friendship disputes.
Our school curriculum can contribute to our Spiritual Development:
- Literacy - awe and wonder from exciting and diverse stories and books within our reading spine. Linking back to our school values.
- Literacy - Creating poetry, drama
- History - reflecting on life from the past and understanding differences
- Geography - awe and wonder of the natural world and, equally, some concerns about environmental damage
- RSHE Life Skills - weekly reflections on topics such as friendships and difficult issues such as bullying and managing emotions
- Science - finding out and exploring and making observations
- Art and DT - creativity
An outcome of education at Pevensey and Westham Church of England Primary School is that pupils will be ready to flourish in the next stage of educational journey when they transition to secondary school as well as life after school. They will be equipped with a strong moral compass and be ready to make decisions for the benefit of their community and society as a whole; “to flourish, reach their potential and enjoy a fullness of life.”
Personal Development
The personal development of our pupils is encouraged as we regularly work with our community and charities. We participate in national and local fundraising events including Remembrance Day, Red Nose Day and Children in Need. At harvest time we make donations to a local food bank. We invite elderly members of the school community to a WW2-themed tea party, send cards to members of our local community at Christmas time and our school choir and signing choir performs at Church Bailey.
We cherish our special relationship with St Mary’s Church and the level of commitment we have for this partnership is cemented through our Covenant. This Covenant strengthens our community and reminds us of our shared responsibility. Children have the opportunity to visit local churches and our links with St Mary’s Church, right next door to school are enhanced at special services, such as our harvest festival and Christmas Carol concert. As part of of collective worship the children all walk to St Mary’s for a worship led by Reverend David.
https://stmaryschurchwestham.co.uk/
Please click here to read the latest St Mary’s Church weekly notices or follow St Mary’s on their Facebook page.
Follow this link for information about collective worship at PaWS and further links to the songs we have been enjoying singing together at school.