Prayer and Liturgy

Prayer and liturgy are at the heart of life at The Willows Catholic Primary School. They provide opportunities for our children to encounter God, deepen their relationship with Jesus and grow together as a community of faith.

Every day, children are given time to pray, listen to Scripture, reflect and respond to God's love.

Our approach is guided by To Love You More Dearly, the Prayer and Liturgy Directory for Catholic Schools, Academies and Colleges.

We aim to provide meaningful, engaging and age-appropriate experiences of prayer and worship that help children develop a personal relationship with God and understand their place within the Catholic Church.

Our Daily Life of Prayer

Prayer is a natural and important part of every school day.

Children learn and use traditional Catholic prayers, including the Sign of the Cross, the Morning Offering, Grace before and after meals and the Angel of God.

Alongside these familiar prayers, children experience spontaneous prayer, personal reflection, silence, music and opportunities to express their thoughts and feelings to God.

We encourage children to develop an understanding that prayer is not simply about learning words but about building a relationship with God.

Celebration of the Word

Celebration of the Word is a central part of our daily prayer and worship.

Our weekly arrangements provide a balance of whole-school worship and smaller, class-based celebrations.

Monday and Wednesday – Whole-School Celebration of the Word

Every Monday and Wednesday morning, pupils and staff gather as one school family for Celebration of the Word.

These celebrations provide opportunities to listen to Scripture, reflect on its meaning and consider how we can live out God's message in our daily lives.

They also help us strengthen our shared identity as a Catholic community, united in prayer and faith.

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – Class Celebration of the Word

On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, Celebration of the Word takes place in individual classrooms.

These celebrations are led by children or members of staff, with pupils encouraged to take an increasingly active role as they move through school.

The smaller setting provides opportunities for children to share their thoughts, prepare prayers, reflect on Scripture and contribute to worship in ways appropriate to their age and stage of development.

How We Celebrate the Word

At The Willows, our Celebrations of the Word follow a shared structure that helps children understand and participate in meaningful worship.

Gather

We come together and prepare ourselves to encounter God.

Children may gather around a prayer focus, listen to music, light a candle with adult supervision or begin with a short prayer.

This helps create a calm and reverent atmosphere.

Listen

We listen carefully to the Word of God.

Scripture is at the centre of our celebration. Children are encouraged to listen attentively and think about what God is saying to us through the reading.

Respond

We consider how the Scripture speaks to our lives and respond to God's message.

Our response might include prayer, silence, reflection, music, discussion, artwork or an appropriate symbolic action.

Go Forth

We are encouraged to take what we have heard into our daily lives.

Children are invited to think about how they can follow Jesus' example through kindness, forgiveness, service and love.

This helps them understand that prayer should influence the way we live.

Children Leading Prayer and Liturgy

We believe children should be active participants in the prayer life of the school.

From Reception to Year 6, we provide opportunities for pupils to develop the knowledge, understanding and confidence to participate in and lead prayer and liturgy.

In Reception and Key Stage 1, children begin by joining familiar prayers, making simple responses, helping to prepare prayer spaces and contributing their own ideas.

As children move through Lower Key Stage 2, they take greater responsibility for preparing celebrations, reading Scripture, choosing appropriate symbols and writing prayers.

By Upper Key Stage 2, children are encouraged to plan and lead celebrations with increasing independence, making thoughtful decisions about Scripture, music, prayer and how others will participate.

Throughout the year, classes also have opportunities to prepare and lead Celebrations of the Word for the wider school community and families.

These experiences help children understand that leading prayer is a responsibility and an opportunity to serve others.

The Liturgical Year

The seasons and celebrations of the Catholic Church shape our prayer and worship throughout the year.

During Advent, we prepare for the coming of Jesus through prayer, reflection and acts of kindness.

At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the joy of God coming into the world.

During Lent, we focus on prayer, fasting and almsgiving as we prepare for Easter. Children experience opportunities for reflection, including the Stations of the Cross.

During Holy Week, we remember the final days of Jesus' earthly life, his suffering and his death.

At Easter, we celebrate the Resurrection and the hope of new life.

At Pentecost, we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church's mission.

We also mark other important occasions, including Marian celebrations, saints' feast days, Ash Wednesday and special moments in the life of our parish and diocese.

These experiences help children understand the rhythm of the Church's year and deepen their knowledge of Catholic traditions.

Celebrating Mass and the Sacraments

The celebration of Mass holds a special place in the life of our Catholic school.

We gather for school Masses at important points in the year and maintain close links with the Parish of the Holy Cross.

Classes also have opportunities to attend weekday Mass alongside parishioners at St John the Evangelist Church.

Children are encouraged to participate reverently through prayer, singing, listening and appropriate responses.

Our close relationship with the parish also helps children appreciate the significance of the Sacraments and understand how they are celebrated within the life of the Church.

Sacred Spaces

Every classroom has a dedicated prayer area that provides a focus for worship and reflection.

These spaces include appropriate religious symbols, Scripture and resources that reflect the Church's liturgical year.

Children are involved in preparing and caring for these spaces, helping them understand the importance of creating a respectful and prayerful environment.

Our central worship area also provides opportunities for pupils to pause, reflect and offer their own prayers.

We want children to recognise that prayer can take place in many settings and that moments of quiet reflection are an important part of spiritual development.

Prayer, Families and Parish

Prayer and liturgy help bring our school, families and parish together.

Parents and carers are warmly welcomed to join us for class-led Celebrations of the Word, school Masses and other special occasions.

We encourage families to support their children in learning traditional prayers and participating in the prayer life of their parish.

By sharing these experiences, we help children understand that prayer and faith are part of life at home, in school and within the wider Church.

Living What We Pray

Prayer and liturgy should make a difference to the way we live.

We encourage children to reflect on the messages they hear and put them into action through kindness, compassion, forgiveness and service.

Our hope is that, through their experiences of prayer and worship at The Willows, children develop a lasting relationship with God and recognise how they can share His love with others.

We gather in faith, listen to God's Word, respond with love and go forth to make a difference.