Christian Distinctiveness
Christian Distinctiveness
At Beckington we want our children to flourish and to know that they are loved, cared for and valued. As a Christian school our faith and Christian values are at the centre of everything we do. We model the values [see Vision and Values] and encourage the children to embed these values within their daily lives. We aim to develop a sense of wonder, awe, curiosity and mystery within a high quality curriculum.
As you move around the school you see and hear all staff modelling the values and creating an atmosphere of encouragement and respect. Sensitivity to the needs of individuals is evident.
“If you make a mistake it is OK. The teachers show you how to get it right next time” [Year 3 pupil].
“ We get encouraged and we all try to be the best we can be]. [Year 4 pupil].
“When I go wrong I don’t mind because you learn from your mistakes” [ Year 3 pupil.
We root our teachings firmly in the teachings of the Bible and link the gospel of Christ with the daily life of the school.
Through Collective Worship and RE children will learn about the life and teachings of Jesus. They will find out what the Bible means to Christians and reflect on what its teachings mean to them individually.
We follow the Church of England calendar including Harvest, Christmas, Lent and Easter. The Church is used for services and visits and the children feel very much at home there. Year 4 children visit Wells Cathedral in March each year as part of a Pilgrimage project.
“We use the church for special assemblies” [Year 4 pupil]
“We go there to talk to God” [Year 3 pupil]
“We do plays there and we are doing an Easter play this year. It is good to go there because you can really feel God” [ Year 4 pupil].
"The whole family really enjoying going to church and being part of the church community at special events like Easter and Christmas" [parent]
There is a weekly pattern of Collective Worship. Children are beginning to be encouraged to take some responsibility in planning and leading occasional acts of worship. They are encouraged to lead prayer within the services. They join in the singing of hymns and songs, listen to stories from the Bible, both Old and New Testaments and enjoy drama presentations. Collective Worship offers the opportunity for Spiritual development. This includes opportunities for silence and reflective time.
Leaders of Collective Worship are varied. This includes the Head Teacher, teachers, governors and visiting leaders of worship including Open The Book. We have been without an incumbent for 5 years but have continued to develop and enjoy productive and supportive links with the local church family.
“Some people from church come in. They do stories from the Bible. We heard about the Baptism of Jesus” [Year 4 pupil].
“I like it when we get to help. I hope I can be one of the helpers soon.”
Crosses, Reflective Prayer areas inside and a Quiet Area for reflection outside as well as display boards reflect our Christian distinctiveness. A tapestry called ‘Life in all its Fullness ‘in the hall illustrates the close links between church and school. Prayers and Big Questions are on display. A display about Malala Yousafzai is an example of our work in developing the children’s knowledge of the wider world.
“Malala helped other girls go to school”
“She wanted to change bad things in the world”
“Greta Thunberg is doing that too. She is trying to save the environment” [Year 3 and 4 pupils.
