Positive Purposes/Aims for Collective Worship

Members of Lambeth SACRE believe that there are many good reasons for wanting to provide collective worship apart from ensuring that the law is met. Collective worship can add value to the education process.

It provides an opportunity to:

• encourage pupils to develop an awareness of the universal moral principles of right and wrong, justice and fairness and a proper concern for the fate of others and the world;
• affirm and celebrate the values and ethos of the school;
• add to the pupils' development an awareness of, and a sense of belonging to, the many different dimensions of the school's community;
• experience the sense of gathering for a special purpose;
• share an experience that promotes thought and reflection;
• promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development;
• provide an opportunity to reflect on practical issues raised by becoming an adult citizen of the world
• consider and reflect upon a variety of situations and issues and make a personal response;
• reflect quietly and make an internal response in the light of personal beliefs and background; this may include worship of God within each participant's own faith understanding.

Collective worship may be provided in accordance with the law to the benefit of the whole school community. Within this provision it is SACRE's concern that the integrity of all present should be recognised and safeguarded.

In order to ensure that a quality experience is provided collective worship has to be well planned and effectively led, resourced and monitored.