Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from the teaching of Religious Education. A meeting with the headteacher must be arranged to discuss this.

Worship and Prayer Life

At St Joseph’s, prayer and worship are at the heart of school life, nurturing pupils’

spiritual development and deepening their relationship with God. We believe that encountering God through prayer strengthens faith, shapes moral understanding, and inspires compassionate action

The Highest Form of Worship: Mass

• Attending Mass is considered the highest form of worship in our Catholic tradition. Pupils regularly participate in whole-school Masses and parish celebrations, experiencing the richness of the Eucharist and the liturgical year.

• Mass provides opportunities for pupils to reflect, pray, and receive the sacrament, helping them understand the centrality of Christ in their lives.

• Pupils actively contribute to Mass through reading, singing, altar serving, and preparing offertory gifts, fostering both participation and reverence.

Key Stage Teacher-Led Worship

• Weekly key stage worship sessions allow teachers to lead groups in prayer, reflection, and scripture-based meditation.

• These sessions focus on themes such as Gospel values, Catholic Social Teaching, moral decision-making, and the liturgical calendar.

• Pupils are encouraged to engage with the reflection, share their thoughts, and apply messages to their own lives.

Class Worship

• Class-based worship provides a more intimate setting for prayer, reflection, and scripture meditation.

• Teachers guide pupils in developing personal prayer routines, exploring scripture passages, and responding creatively through art, writing, or discussion.

• Pupils participate in student and teacher-led worships, where they take responsibility for leading prayers, preparing reflection spaces, and choosing scripture passages when appropriate. This empowers them as young leaders in faith and fosters ownership of their spiritual development.

Meditation and Scripture-Based Reflection

• Pupils are given time to engage in meditation and reflection based on scripture, helping them develop inner stillness, prayerful listening, and spiritual awareness.

• Scripture is used as a guide to explore God’s presence in daily life, to reflect on personal actions, and to inspire service and compassion.

• Reflection and meditation support pupils’ mental and emotional wellbeing, providing opportunities to connect their faith with lived experience.

Prayer Life Across the School

• Prayer is embedded throughout the day, including before lessons, at lunchtime, and during assemblies.

• Pupils are encouraged to pray spontaneously and formally, learning traditional prayers as well as developing their own words to speak to God.

• Special feasts, holy days, and liturgical seasons are celebrated with appropriate worship, helping pupils understand and experience the rhythm of the Church year.

Chaplaincy

At St Joseph’s, we are committed to nurturing the spiritual life of our school community through active participation in chaplaincy. Our aim is for the Chaplaincy Teams to play a central role in leading worship and in living out our school Mission Statement each day.

To ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to engage in this important aspect of Catholic life, we have structured chaplaincy at two levels: Class Chaplaincy and Whole-School Chaplaincy.

Class Chaplaincy

Within each class, every child will have the opportunity to take part in chaplaincy activities through the school year. These may include:

· Leading class worship and prayer

· Preparing prayer tables and sacred spaces

· Sharing reflections on scripture

· Supporting the prayer life of their peers

This inclusive approach allows every child to develop confidence in leading worship and to deepen their understanding of their faith.

Whole-School Chaplaincy

For whole-school chaplaincy, pupils are organised into four dedicated teams. Each team has a particular focus and responsibility within the wider Catholic life of the school, their own mission and prayer which they begin each meeting with. These teams work together to strengthen our community and to ensure that the Mission Statement is visible in action as well as in words.

Catholic Social Teaching and Charity Work

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is the Church's response to the social, economic, and political challenges of our time. Rooted in Scripture and the life of Jesus Christ, CST calls us to live out our faith through action, promoting justice, peace, and the dignity of every person.

At the heart of CST are key principles that guide our actions:

• Dignity of the Human Person: Every person is created in God's image and deserves respect and protection.

• Common Good: We are all responsible for creating a society where everyone can thrive.

• Solidarity: We stand together, especially with the poor and vulnerable, as one human family.

• Option for the Poor: A preferential love for those who are most in need.

• Participation: Everyone has the right to take part in decisions affecting their lives.

• Stewardship: Caring for God's creation and using resources responsibly.

• Subsidiarity: Decisions should be made at the most local level possible, empowering communities.

These principles inspire us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Through CST, we learn that our faith is not just about belief but about living out the Gospel in our daily lives, serving others, and working towards a more just and compassionate world.

At St Joseph's in 2024-25 each class chose a principle to promote within the school. 

In 2025-26, we continue to live out these principles in different ways.