‘Spirituality is like a bird. If you hold it too closely, it chokes. And if you hold it too loosely, it escapes.’ Israel Salanter Lipkin
We have defined spirituality as:
Something that we cannot see and we cannot easily explain. It helps us to reflect on the awe and wonder inspired by life and the world around us. Through spirituality, we can investigate meaning and connect with ourselves, each other and the wider world. We also have the opportunity to consider and explore a connection with God and in Jesus we see God.
Spirituality is like a friend who comes alongside us when we say wow, ask why and wonder… where next?
At St Mary's C of E (Aided) Primary School, we believe that we need to give all our children the chance to allow them to flourish and become the people God is calling them to be with 'their God-given potential'. We believe that spirituality is a core thread that runs through our school and we attach great importance to it for both children’s development and for the growth and well-being of all within our school community.
The attached Spirituality Progression grid captures how pupils develop spiritually across the year groups and our curriculum overview identifies where there are opportunities to be spiritual within lessons and wider opportunities.
At St. Mary's CE Aided Primary School, we believe that it is very important to provide all children with a range of opportunities to help them develop spiritually. We believe that spiritual development may not be synonymous with RE and Collective Worship and can be explored through many different curriculum areas.
As a school we focus on the idea of 4 concepts of spirituality: self, others, world and beauty and beyond. We start with ‘big questions’ about life and we plan a series of encounters (windows) that open up the possibility of reflection (mirrors). Finally, the children are given the opportunity to put into action what they believe and value (doors).
Our model for Spiritual Development
At St. Mary's CofE (Aided) Primary School, we use the Windows, Mirrors and Doors model to support spiritual development.
Windows – Learning about life
We give children opportunities to become aware of the world in new ways; to wonder about life’s ‘Wows’ (things that are amazing and inexplicable as to why they evoke such a response) and ‘Ows’ (things that upset us and cause us to be uncertain). In this, our children are learning about life in all its fullness.
Mirrors – Learning from life
We give children opportunities to reflect on their experiences; to meditate and reflect on life’s big questions and to consider some possible answers. In this, they are learning from life by exploring their own insights and perspectives and those of others.
Doors – Learning to live life
We give children opportunity to respond to all of this; to do something creative as a means of expressing, applying and further developing their thoughts and convictions. In this they are learning to live by putting into action what they are coming to believe and value.
What are the indicators of developing spiritually?
The following are seen as the indicators of effective spiritual development in our school. Pupils who are developing spiritually are likely to be developing some or all of the following characteristics:
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a set of values, principles and beliefs, which may or may not be religious, which inform their perspective on life and their patterns of behaviour
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an awareness and understanding of their own and others’ beliefs
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an ability to understand the notion of community and to see themselves in relation to a variety of communities
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a respect for themselves and for others
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a sense of empathy with others, concern and compassion
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an increasing ability to reflect and learn from this reflection
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an ability to show courage and persistence in defence of their aims, values, principles and beliefs
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an appreciation of the intangible – for example, beauty, truth, love, goodness, order – as well as for mystery, paradox and ambiguity
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a respect for insight as well as for knowledge and reason
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an expressive and/or creative impulse
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resilience in the face of challenges or when things don’t go the way we expect or want
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an ability to think in terms of the ‘whole’ – for example, concepts such as harmony, interdependence, scale, perspective
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an understanding of feelings and emotions, their likely impact and an ability to talk about feelings
Opportunities to develop spiritually at St Mary's
We provide rich opportunities for our children to develop spiritually within our curriculum.
Physical Education
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By delighting in movement, particularly when pupils are able to show spontaneity.
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By taking part in activities such as dance, games and gymnastics which help pupils to become more focused, connected and creative.
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By being aware of one’s own strengths and limitations.
Computing
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By wondering at the power of the digital age, e.g. use of the internet and social media.
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By understanding the advantages and limitations of modern technology.
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By using the internet as a gateway to big life issues.
English
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By allowing for insight, self-expression and the chance to walk in someone else’s shoes and consider other viewpoints
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By writing creatively, embracing our own skills and imagination, understanding of words and language
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By exploring texts and stories that challenge our perspectives and express ‘big ideas’ about life and ethical issues
Music
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By allowing pupils to show their delight and curiosity in creating their own sounds.
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By considering how music makes one feel and how it can ‘move us’ deeply.
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By understanding the way artists communicate their feelings through their music
Art and Design Technology
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By enjoying and celebrating personal creativity and reviewing and evaluating created things.
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By exploring different artists’ interpretations of a key figure or event and asking what the artist was trying to convey.
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By allowing pupils to show what they know through their own expression of big ideas about life and the world around them
PSHE/RSHE
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By developing awareness of and responding to others’ needs and wants.
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By exploring meaning and purpose for individuals and society.
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By developing resilience and inner strength.
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By valuing self as unique in the image of God.
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By cherishing relationships.
Religious Education
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By experiencing wonder and joy through learning about and from stories, celebrations, rituals and different expressions of religion and worldviews.
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By asking and responding to questions of meaning and purpose.
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By considering questions about God and evaluating truth claims.
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By exploring spiritual practices, such as worship and prayer, and considering the impact of these on believers as well as relevance to their own life.
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By developing our own beliefs
Geography
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By using maps and asking pupils to imagine what it might be like to live in different parts of the world and comparing their lives with others.
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By making links with history when exploring the environment and speculating on why the landscape has developed in a certain way and the human impact upon this.
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By exploring the awe and wonder of the natural world
History
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By considering how things would be different if the course of events had been different
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By looking at local history and investigating the reasons why our community developed in a certain way
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By considering how we mark important events from history and the people who shaped them.
MFL
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By exploring the beauty of languages from around the world.
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By exploring the way language is constructed.
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By developing an understanding of the language of others.
Science
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By demonstrating openness to the fact that some answers cannot be provided by Science.
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By creating opportunities for pupils to ask questions about how living things rely on and contribute to their environment
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By experiencing awe and wonder of the natural world and the diverse individuals who contributed to the field of science.
Maths
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By developing resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge
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By reasoning and solving problems, understanding other points of view or approaches
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By developing an appreciation of the intangible and abstract