At Teversham, we place high value on the development of each and every child. At the heart of all we do in school, we not only develop our pupil's values to live successful and fulfilled lives but we also emphasise the children's spiritual development. 

We believe that spirituality is what defines us. It is the expression of our beliefs and values, our way of living a Christian and human life as shown in the decisions we make and the actions we take.

“Spirituality is not something we can see; it is something we feel inside ourselves. It is about awe and wonder, asking questions, inspiration and being aware of something ‘bigger’ outside of ourselves.”

Why is this important in our school?

• Spirituality is fundamental to our being. We may experience and express our spirituality in different ways, but we are all spiritual in some way - though we may not recognise or acknowledge this. As those responsible for children’s education, we have a duty of care to do all we can to help children develop their spirituality.
• Exploring spirituality offers a unique opportunity to step back and reflect on why we do what we do in our schools, and also how we do it. It can help us be more intuitive and sensitive. It can connect us more deeply to nature and our precious planet. It can make us more aware of the things we have in common with others despite our differences.

How do we support children to develop their spirituality in school?

• We have regular time in the day for quiet and reflection. This might be listening to a story, lighting the candles in worship, listening to music, the reflection for the day or the prayers said throughout the day.
• We have opportunities for creativity and encouraging children to use their imagination
• Singing as part of our weekly worship
• Exploring, expressing, sharing and comparing feelings and opinions. This is planned into all subjects across our curriculum but is more focused within our PSHE, worship and RE lessons. Other structures such as Restorative Justice, Growth Mindset, Mindfulness and ‘I wonder’ questions, are used to support this further.
• We constantly reaffirm the importance of relationships. How we talk to and relate with each other is fundamental.
• We express awe and wonder, appreciate beauty in all its forms, and appreciate the connections and unity in the world
• We encourage each other to admit mistakes and to say sorry. We encourage everyone to show kindness, caring and compassion, and to express these in practical ways. (eg: how we treat each other every day; charitable works; through prayer spaces)
• Exploring the ‘Big Questions’ – particularly through our RE curriculum, topics, worship, news events and through nurture sessions.

Earlier this year, all classes took part in a Prayer Spaces session in the church, supported by GenR8. 

All classes engaged well in the different reflective activities and had the opportunity to respond individually in the way that was right for them. There were some really thoughtful responses, more pictures are on the gallery page.