Spirituality
"Spiritual development is not an accomplishment but a way of life." - David R. Hawkins.
What is Spirituality at Adel St John?
The Church of England’s Vision for Education states that children should experience ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10). Through our vision: Love, Serve, Support, Succeed, at Adel St John, we believe that we need to give all of our children the opportunity to ‘Succeed’ and to succeed is to become who God intends us to be. In order to do this, children should be given opportunities to grow spiritually.
It is very difficult to put into words what ‘spirituality’ actually is because it is a very personal experience. It differs from person to person, and often spirituality changes within people during their lifetime. Spirituality is not the same as having a religion or faith; a person can be spiritual without having a particular faith.
As a school, we have defined spirituality as:
‘Exploring our sense of identity, belonging and purpose while instilling a curiosity to seek out the wonders of the world. It allows us to develop an appreciation of differences and values while connecting with the world and reflecting on our own beliefs and opinions.’
The language that we use to define spirituality is not child-friendly, so when talking to children about it we will refer to the four different elements that contribute to a person's spiritual development.
We have a variety of ways that spiritual moments are experienced.
1) Big Questions linked to our Christian Values
Each half term, each class has a focus Big Question that links to our current Christian Value. Children are given the opportunity to consider this question through discussion and then respond to it using their Spirituality Journal. Responses are shared by children who wish to do so in a whole school Collective Worship at the end of the half term. At the end of each Collective Worship, children are also given the opportunity to silently reflect on the message of the worship. They can then choose to add to their Spirituality Journal based on what they have heard and considered.
2) Planned Spiritual Experiences within the curriculum
Each half term, classes have a planned experience within a particular curriculum area. The curriculum area is different each half term and over the course of their time at Adel St John, children will have a wide variety of experiences.
3) Spontaneous opportunities for spirituality
These are experiences that cannot be planned for, but are encouraged when the moment arises within the day. We can take inspiration for these from our beautiful surroundings (e.g. experiencing nature through Forest Schools, watching Red Kites soaring at the end of playtime, spotting a fox through the window sheltering from the rain), from the weather (e.g. flurries of snow or rainbows), from our fantastic children (e.g. noticing an act of kindness, children recognising an achievement in their peers or joining in a song at the end of a playtime) and any number of other things.
Each day, children are given the opportunity to spend time in silence and reflecting on their day. We use our Rainbow Reflection questions to facilitate this where children are asked a question to ponder before they leave their classroom at the end of the day. This gives children and adults alike the change to reflect on their day and take a mindful moment before home time.