Collective Worship
We look forward to our daily acts of Collective Worship where our school community is encouraged to reflect on our school vision and values. The themes of our worship are also linked closely to the Christian liturgical year and take in major festivals such as, Harvest, Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.
Worship at St Margaret's is invitational and inclusive of all beliefs or faiths. Together we are invited to come as a community to enjoy a time of peace and reflection in a safe space. Worship is interactive and all are encouraged to take part where they feel comfortable and contribute their own thoughts and ideas when possible.
Worship is led by senior leaders, teaching staff, our local Vicars and visitors as well as our Leading Lights ensuring that worship is an important part of the school day giving children time to think, reflect and develop spiritually.
We use a variety of medias including storytelling, videos, liturgy and singing to enable us to reflect on the teachings of the Bible and what we can learn from it and what God wants us to learn from it.
We consider worship fundamental to our well-being, as we believe spiritual development is key in helping all children grow academically, but more importantly personally, so they become well-rounded young people, ready to take their place in today’s society.
Leading Lights
Our Leading Lights are a group of Key Stage Two children who are ambassadors for our school through their contribution to Collective Worship and support of our Christian vision and values.
The children take part in the school’s collective worship in a practical leadership role.
Leading Lights aims to give children increased ownership, to give them more informed choice in the elements of worship, as well as developing their confidence in being leaders during the act of worship itself and developing their own knowledge and skill set.
This includes:
- Lighting the candle
- Giving the greeting
- Choosing the song
- Writing and leading the prayers and reflections
- Bible readings
- Planning and offering drama
- Write and deliver (with adult support) acts of worship about charities and events e.g. Christian Aid Week
- Designing and arranging the physical focus
- Sending out or leading the blessing
Being a Leading Light is a privilege, but also a responsibility.
Our Leading Lights are good role models in shining their light in all aspects of school life as well as Collective Worship.
Our Church Links
We have a very close connection to our local Parish churches St Margaret's Church and St Peter's Church.
Rev’d Dr Joel Love is the Vicar of St Peter's with St Margaret's. He and the rest of his team are highly supportive of all that we do here at St. Margaret's at Troy Town. They lead collective worship in school on a weekly basis and the Rev'd Joel Love is on our Local Governing Body.
As part of the liturgical calendar, the school including parents and the church, join together for services at St Margaret's and St Peter's Churches during Christmas and Easter.
As part of our religious education children visit the churches to learn about our Christian practices and forms of worship.
Rev'd Joel also inform the Parochial Church Council who always asks for news of the school at their PCC meetings, and they regularly pray for the whole school community.
Some children from SMATT attend regular worship at both St Peter's and St Margaret's, and in many cases were also baptised in our Churches.
Please visit the Parish website for more information:
We also work very closely with Rochester Baptist Church and Pastor Luciano Pelosi, who has been welcomed into our school celebrations and services.
There are many activities within Rochester Baptist Church throughout the year that anyone can attend. These can all be found on their website using the link below.
Please visit the Parish website for more information:
Class Worship
Class Worships are led by the children and provide a wonderful opportunity for the children to shine and share important things that they have learnt during the term with the school and their families.
Celebration Worship
Every week we hold a celebration worship where we recognise children who 'live' our school vision and values. Each class teacher chooses a child from their class to recognise and celebrate a special achievement. The children are presented with a certificate and the teacher shares the reason and value for which they are being celebrated with the whole school. Their certificate is then displayed on our flourishing board to demonstrate individual achievements and how we are living life in all its fullness!
We also celebrate birthdays during worship as birthdays are a time to celebrate God’s gift of life and reminds us that everyone is valued as an individual within our school community. When we say the birthday prayer, we remind each other that every person is a gift from God!
Our Birthday Prayer
Father, we thank you for these children in their birthday week. Thank you for the special blessings you've given to them. May you all learn to walk in the light of God’s love, this birthday and always.
Amen
Family Trust
We are very lucky to receive a visit from Family Trust three times a year, who lead exciting and interactive whole school worships based on Christian themes and Bible stories.
