Collective Worship
Collective Worship is an important part of daily school life at Middleham CE (VA) Junior School and Spennithorne CE (VA) Infant School
Each term we focus on a different Christian value, chosen by the pupil Collective Worship Leadership Team, to form the basis of our daily worship. We also follow the Church calendar and children learn how the Christian year is marked by festivals such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost and periods of observance such as Lent.
Each act of worship follows a basic structure of
- Welcome – welcome words are used each time such that they become familiar to the children. A candle is lit on the worship table.
- Learning – the theme or Bible Text is introduced. This may be through a poem, a puppet drama, a video or the like.
- Reflecting – time is spent considering the impact of the day’s theme and children may ask or answer questions. Quiet time and prayer may be used.
- Responding – as the worship comes to an end, those present are encouraged to consider how they are going to engage with the day’s message and what they might do make a difference in the world either individually or as part of the wider school community.
Children also play a large part in leading collective worship with a ministry appointed who take responsibility for setting the scene (music on, alter pulled out, lights dimmed and calling the other classes to worship), opening the workship with words that all children are familiar with and closing the worship at the end.
Special times of worship – the schools mark the major Christian festivals such as Harvest, Christmas and Easter with a service in their respective parish churches. The annual Welcome Service for Reception children and the Leavers Service for those in Year 6 is also a major milestone. These services are well attended by the wider community.
Middleham
St Mary and St Alkelda’s Church, Middleham
The church (Church of England) dates back to the 13th Century, and has a rich history (with strong links to the martyr, St Alkelda, and also Richard III) but the church’s vision continues to be to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to the current generation.
There is a strong focus on children’s work with ‘1stSundays@3’ gatherings. This is a monthly informal craft and drama based afternoon where families and friends are invited to learn about God together and share refreshments.
Bubble Church for under 8’s and families is a joint initiative with another local church on the second Sunday afternoon of each month with songs, actions and lots of puppets.
The whole school community is always welcome for the school’s special services such as Christingle, Harvest, Christmas Carols, Easter, and the Leavers’ Service in July.
‘Open the Book’ is an important part of the work of the church. A team of church volunteers take Bible stories into Middleham or Spennithorne school every Wednesday afternoon for Collective Worship. The team dresses up and acts out an event or a story from the Bible – getting the children involved.
Sunday morning worship at the church is at 9.30am and more traditionally Anglican in flavour, but with an informal feel and a warm welcome.
Currently the co-rectors of the local parish are Foundation Governors at FEDMAS.
Find out more information here
Spennithorne
We often visit our local church, St Michael and All Angels . It is a beautiful church and we use it for collective worship and many festivals, such as Harvest, Christmas and our special leavers' service. A brief history
- The fine tower of Spennithorne church is older than Middleham Castle.Early days
- There was evidently a church here in Anglo-Saxon times, and there was certainly a church in existence by the time of the Norman Conquest.
- By 1086 the Anglo-Saxon thegns* had been ousted in favour of a Norman Lord. By the 13th century the Spennithorne Estate had passed to descendants of the Fitz Randolphs who held the land until the 16th century*(Then [thane] in Anglo-Saxon England a lesser nobleman granted land by the King or a higher ranking nobleman)Rebuilt and enlarged
- By the middle of the 12th century the church had been built and enlarged, with the existing tower probably dating from the 14th century, when the aisles were also widened to their present width. The chancel would also have been rebuilt and extended eastwards to its present length with the vestry being added on the north side.
The church now
- The structure of the church now is still basically a medieval building of which so much remains in the 21st century.
- In the 1970’s and 1980’s Spennithorne church was featured in the BBC television series “All Creatures Great and Small”.
- A more detailed history and description of St. Michael & All Angel’s Church can be found in a booklet by V. H. H. Green which is held in the church, price 50p.
