Prayer and Liturgy

Prayer and liturgy are at the heart of life at The Willows Catholic Primary School. Each day, pupils and staff come together to pray, listen to scripture, reflect and respond to God’s love. Prayer helps our children grow in faith, hope, gratitude and service.

Our approach is guided by To love You more dearly - the Prayer and Liturgy Directory for Catholic Schools.

Through prayer, Celebrations of the Word and liturgy, children are helped to encounter God, take part in the prayer life of the Church and live out the Gospel in their daily lives.

Our Daily Rhythm of Prayer

Prayer is part of everyday life at The Willows.

Children pray in different ways, including private prayer, group prayer, class prayer and whole-school prayer.

Formal prayers are used at the start and end of the school day and before and after lunch. Children also have regular opportunities for quiet reflection, spontaneous prayer, traditional Catholic prayers, scripture reflection and prayer linked to the liturgical year.

Every child takes part in a daily act of worship. This may take place in class, as a key stage or as a whole school. These moments help children to pause, listen, reflect and place God at the centre of the school day.

Prayer, Celebration of the Word and Liturgy

At The Willows, children experience a rich variety of prayer and worship.

Prayer can include traditional prayers, quiet reflection, music, silence, spontaneous prayer, devotional prayer and prayers written by the children.

Celebration of the Word is centred on scripture. Children and staff gather to hear the Word of God, reflect on its meaning and think about how they can live it out.

Liturgy includes celebrations that follow the prayer of the Church, such as Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Children are taught that these are special, sacred moments. They learn how to prepare carefully, listen reverently and take part with respect.

Gather, Listen, Respond, Go Forth

Across school, our Celebrations of the Word follow a shared structure:

Gather

We come together in a prayerful way.

This may include music, a candle, a cross, a Bible, a symbol, a short prayer, silence or an action.

Listen

We listen carefully to scripture or another sacred reading.

Children are taught that the Word of God speaks to us and helps us understand how to live as followers of Jesus.

Respond

We respond to what we have heard.

This may include prayer, silence, reflection, music, drama, artwork, discussion or a simple action.

Go Forth

We take the message into our daily lives.

Children are encouraged to think about how they can live out the Gospel through kindness, service, forgiveness, justice and love.

Child-led Prayer and Liturgy

Children are supported to take an active role in prayer and liturgy.

They learn how to prepare sacred spaces, choose scripture, write prayers, select music, lead silence and help others reflect.

As children move through school, they grow in confidence and independence. They begin by joining in with simple prayers and responses. Over time, they learn to plan, lead and evaluate prayer and liturgy with increasing care and understanding.

Our older pupils have opportunities to lead prayer for younger children. This helps them to grow as role models and witnesses to faith.

Children also contribute to class prayer and liturgy books. These books show the worship children have planned, led and reflected on. They include photographs, prayers, planning sheets, pupil reflections and examples of scripture used in worship.

Liturgy Leaders and the GIFT Team

Our Liturgy Leaders and GIFT Team play an important role in the Catholic life of our school.

They help to prepare and lead prayer, support younger children and promote the prayer life of the school.

They may help to set up sacred spaces, lead lunchtime prayer, share the Sunday Gospel, write prayers, support class worship and encourage others to take part respectfully.

Through this role, children learn that leadership in a Catholic school is rooted in service.

Whole-school Prayer and Worship

The whole school gathers regularly for prayer, reflection and celebration.

On Mondays, pupils and staff listen to and reflect on the Sunday Gospel. This helps children connect the Gospel message with their own lives.

On Thursdays, a different class plans and leads a Celebration of the Word for the school. These are linked to the liturgical year, Catholic Social Teaching, global issues, British values and the values we live out as a Catholic community.

Children choose scripture, write prayers, prepare the sacred space, select hymns and lead the school in worship.

The Liturgical Year

The Church’s liturgical year shapes prayer and worship at The Willows.

Throughout the year, children mark key seasons and feasts, including Advent, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost.

Children also take part in prayer and worship linked to Harvest, Remembrance, the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, Marian devotion, saints’ feast days and other important moments in the life of the Church.

These experiences help children understand that they are part of the wider Catholic community.

Our Worship Areas

Every classroom has a prayer area.

These spaces include a prayer focus, Bible, class prayer book and resources linked to the class, the Church’s year and current learning.

Prayer areas change throughout the liturgical year. They help children understand the seasons of the Church and create a calm, sacred space for prayer and reflection.

We also have a central worship area in school.

Children can use this quiet space during breaks and lunchtimes. They can write prayers, add messages to the prayer board, reflect quietly or spend time with God.

It is lovely to see older children helping younger children to write or scribe their prayers.

Parish and Family Links

Prayer and liturgy help strengthen our links with families, parish and the wider Church.

Children take part in Masses, services, sacramental preparation and special celebrations throughout the year.

We value the support of our parish community and work together to help children understand that faith is lived at home, in school, in church and in the wider world.

Families are encouraged to support children in learning traditional prayers and taking part in the prayer life of the school.

Living Out Our Faith

Prayer and liturgy at The Willows are not separate from daily life.

They help children understand how to live as followers of Jesus.

Children are encouraged to show faith through their actions: by caring for others, making peace, showing forgiveness, protecting creation, standing up for justice and serving those in need.

Through prayer and liturgy, we help every child grow closer to God and become the person God calls them to be.