Spirituality
What will my child's spirituality journey look like whilst at Swanmore Primary?
From EYFS to the end of Year 6 your child will explore their spirituality through activities, visits, and opportunities to help them to foster empathy, kindness, and a sense of wonder about people and places around the school, our village, and the wider world. Children will be encouraged to think about questions such as 'Who am I? Where do I fit in? Why am I here?' in our daily Worship time.
The children can consider where they see God in the world in any given moment, and when, where, and how they may be with God during the school day and beyond. Our school Christian values of honesty, love, and respect underpin spirituality the children will encounter. A deeper sense of self reflection will enable children to enjoy and be curious when learning about themselves and others in God's world.
Outside visitors, such as members of the Methodist Church for Open The Book, or the Reverand at St Barnabas taking Key Stage 2's WOW (Worship On Wednesday) sessions enhance the children's spirituality through awe and wonder.
Each class has a Worship Council member who helps to run our whole school Prayer Pod, each class's prayer table, and create in class worship activities for their peers. Many of the exciting and engaging spirituality opportunities are shared on our website (please look at 'Thought for the week' tabs) where you can see the many different ways the children, staff, and the community of Swanmore village help to engage and develop spirituality.
Above all, spirituality at Swanmore Primary allows us all for a moment of stillness and reflection in our very busy and exciting lives!
On Monday 2nd of June our Worship Council members and Mrs Lamport joined other worshippers from the local community on a prayer pilgrimage. They were really lucky to be in God's world to join in prayer stops in our beautiful part of the world.
The first day of our Prayer Pilgrimages embraced the Bishop's Waltham deanery, starting in Wickham and following the Meon Valley Trail northwards to St Peter's Church, Soberton, and St Mary and All Saints, Droxford. Pilgrims then continued up Old Winchester Hill, where almost the whole diocese could be seen, and then finished on Beacon Hill. The evening prayer celebration took place in St Peter's, Curdridge.
Seven Worship Council members from Swanmore CofE Primary school joined the pilgrims in Soberton and walked all the way to the top of Old Winchester Hill. They are all part of the school's worship council, who help out with prayer corners in classrooms and collective worship in school.
One of them, Elodie, aged six, helped to lead the prayers when the group paused near the disused Droxford railway station, which was used by Winston Churchill to meet military commanders and Allied leaders to plan the Normandy landings on D-Day.
She said: "It was nice because I didn't think we'd get to do the prayers. I would definitely do a pilgrimage again."
And Raen, aged 11, said: "It has been nice to talk to my friends as we've been walking. As the worship council, we might read out prayers or draw pictures that are shown in assembly or sometimes we do class worship."
Please click on this link to see the photos of what the Worship Council were involved in on that day!