Prayer and Liturgy Policy

HALLAM DIOCESE

St. Catherine’s Primary School

This prayer and liturgy policy has been approved and adopted by the governing body in September 2025 and will be reviewed in September 2026.

Jesus set us an example: that we are all equal
and that we should behave kindly and humbly towards each other.

1.               The context of this prayer and liturgy policy

‘The celebration of Catholic liturgies and prayers as an integral part of the learning and teaching should enable the school community to become reflective, experience the presence of God and should develop a mature spiritual life.’

 (Bishop Marcus Stock, 2012, Christ at the Centre)

2.               Statement of requirement

The law requires all maintained Catholic schools to provide an act of daily collective worship (prayer and liturgy) for all pupils, including those in the sixth form (Section 70, 1988 Education Act) that is in accordance with the rites, practices, disciplines, and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church (School Standards and Framework Act 1998, schedule 20; Instrument of Government, clause 2). Academies in England are required by their funding agreement and Articles of Association to comply with similar requirements (The Mainstream Academy and Free School: Supplemental Funding Agreement, December 2020; Model Articles for Catholic Academies, February 2019).

The law requires all maintained schools to recognise and respect that parents have the legal right to withdraw their children up to the age of 16 from prayer and liturgy (School Standards and Framework Act 1998, s.71(1A)). Sixth-form pupils can choose to withdraw themselves from prayer and liturgy (School Standards and Framework Act 1998, s.71(1B)).

The school’s provision for prayer and liturgy will fulfil pupils’ entitlement to experience the range of liturgical treasures of the Church, including a shared repertoire of prayers and liturgical music with which pupils in the school will be familiar.

Prayer and liturgy are not designated curriculum time. In the context of the Catholic school, this means that times of prayer and liturgy are not considered to be part of the allocation of curriculum time for Religious Education.

3.         Responsibility

(a) Governance

The governors, as guardians of the Catholic school’s life and mission, have a responsibility to ensure that:

  • prayer and liturgy are central to the Catholic life of the school and therefore are in line with the guidance set out by the Prayer and Liturgy Directory

  • there is a named person(s) who is responsible for prayer and liturgy in the school (the Prayer and Liturgy Coordinator)

  • the prayer and liturgy policy is updated regularly and shared with all stakeholders

  • there is a budget for prayer and liturgy that reflects its centrality to the life of a Catholic school.

(b) Headteacher

The headteacher, as the spiritual leader of the school as a Catholic community, ensures that:

  • prayer and liturgy are central to the Catholic life of the school and therefore are in line with the guidance set out by the Prayer and Liturgy Directory

  • they work in partnership with the leader(s) for prayer and liturgy

  • those responsible for prayer and liturgy in the school have been given appropriate training and formation to ensure that all guidance is followed and adhered to

  • there are suitable resources for prayer and liturgy in the school.

(c) Prayer and Liturgy Coordinator

Those responsible for prayer and liturgy ensure that:

  • prayer and liturgy are central to the Catholic life of the school and therefore are in line with the guidance set out by the Prayer and Liturgy Directory

  • there is an Annual Plan of Provision for prayer and liturgy across the school year which identifies liturgical seasons and key celebrations, as well as opportunities for the celebration of the Sacraments

  • there is daily planned prayer for all pupils, appropriate to age and ability, as outlined in the Prayer and Liturgy Directory

  • pupils are supported in their liturgical formation to take an active role in the planning, preparation, and delivery of prayer and liturgy according to their age and capacity, and in a manner which facilitates their progressive participation

  • resources to support the planning of prayer and liturgy are appropriate and readily available to staff and pupils

  • induction on prayer and liturgy takes place for new members of staff as required

  • staff have access to effective training and formation opportunities

  • monitoring and evaluation of prayer and liturgy take place regularly and feed back into planning for future liturgies

  • monitoring of prayer and liturgy is reported to the headteacher and governing body to support whole-school development and the Catholic life of the school

  • there is collaboration with local clergy and parishes

  • liaison with the Diocesan Advisory Service and others is maintained to ensure they keep updated with best practice.

4. Overview of prayer and liturgy provision

Prayer and liturgy takes place daily, with designated times devoted to this and timetabled throughout the week. All classes take part in morning, lunchtime and end of day prayers, as well as using the Prayer and Liturgy Directory prayer progression so that children learn core prayers such as the Our Father and Hail Mary. Class teachers also give time in the week for spontaneous prayers, for example children offering ideas about what we are grateful for at the beginning of the day so that the class can join in collaborative prayer. Classes sometimes ‘swap’ prayers, so that children from one class can teach children from another class a different prayer. An example video of each class saying a classroom prayer are on the school website, as are the gospel acclamations for each liturgical season.

St. Catherine’s serves a religiously diverse community, and as a result there are a high proportion of children in every class who are not Catholic or Christian. These children show respect and involvement in all times of prayer and liturgy (including PSHE assemblies) by listening to the consistent prayer opener used by all members of staff: ‘If you are a Christian like me, join your hands together. If you are not, show me by the way you are sitting and responding that you are ready to talk to your God.’ All collective opportunities will end with our school prayer:

Dear St Catherine,

This is our school.

Let peace dwell here.

Let the rooms be full of happiness.

Let love be here: love of one another, love of life itself and love of God.

Let us remember that as many hands build a house, so many hearts make a school.

Amen.

Each class has a prayer pack which is clearly displayed on their prayer focal area and easily accessible by the children. Classes also use prayer journals, which have opportunities for the children to write their own prayers, respond to liturgically appropriate scripture quotes/images, or draw their feelings. Children are aware that time using their prayer journal should be calm, that the lights may be dimmed and quiet music played, and there are also opportunities for children to evaluate their own prayer identity and preferences in the journal. Prayer bags are also used in each class and are taken home by a different child each week. These have a new scripture and reflection page put in each half term to reflect the change in liturgical season. These also have key items like a holding cross, a battery candle and appropriately coloured cloth so that children and their families can celebrate the word.

In each classroom there is a prayer focal area. Appendix K shows the expectations of how the prayer focal area and working wall display in each classroom is to be presented and given a place of high respect and prominence. Prayer and liturgy scrapbooks are used to collect children’s reflections and prayers during prayer and liturgy sessions, as well as planning documents that the children have contributed to in an age-appropriate way. Prayer and liturgy sessions happen in each classroom on a Tuesday. Teachers theme these around Catholic Social Teaching, the scripture for the week, times of celebration (such as celebrating our patron saint St. Catherine, or celebrating the festival of Diwali) and times of sorrow (such as remembering Stephen Lawrence). Teachers may use their own planning and resources for this, supplemented by TenTen Collective Worship as appropriate.

Mass is celebrated by our priest Father Albert across the year at key times (the beginning of the new school year, Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, end of year) as detailed in the Annual Plan of Provision Appendix F. Sacramental assemblies celebrating the Eucharist, Baptism, and Reconciliation are also held for both Key Stages, along with individual key stage celebration of the word assemblies for the sacrament Confirmation and the month of remembrance in November.

School leaders and teachers then lead whole school Monday assembly, Gospel assembly, PSHE assembly and celebration assembly. Children are engaged and listen exceptionally well during these times, and there are always planned times in assemblies for children to talk to one another and discuss the message of scripture and how we can take the values Jesus taught us into our home and school community. Children are eager to contribute and put their hand up to speak, and adults regularly involve them in drama and interactive opportunities to look further at scripture. Children are well versed in knowing the liturgical season, the corresponding gospel acclamation and the correct responses to listening to the Gospel. Hymn practice takes place every other week, accompanied by a pianist, and again children of all faiths are eager to take part in this.

5.         Resourcing

Prayer and liturgy are central to the school’s understanding of itself as a Catholic school, and this is reflected in the annual budget allocation and available resources, including staff time, chaplaincy provision, and dedicated spaces for prayer and liturgy. The Catholic character of the school is reflected in religious artefacts and images on display throughout the building. Dedicated spaces for prayer and liturgy will be furnished and maintained as such, and updated to reflect the Church’s liturgical season. Staff training and formation costs will be funded separately to ensure that all staff are able to fulfil their responsibility to contribute to the prayer and liturgical life of the school.

6.               Training and formation

All new staff will be supported during induction and beyond, so that they fully understand the responsibility they carry within their individual role for leading prayer and liturgy in the school. Any individual training needs will be identified and addressed through training and formation. There will also be the opportunity for whole-staff professional development at least once a year, so that all staff understand the importance of prayer and liturgy and relevant staff are well supported to lead as required.

7.               Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation of the quality and impact of prayer and liturgy will take place regularly, and at least annually, and involve all key stakeholders: pupils, parents, staff, clergy, and governors. Areas for development will be identified and issues raised will be actioned and evidenced as appropriate.

8. Review

The policy will be reviewed as part of the regular cycle of policy review conducted by the governors.