Spirituality & Reflection
Children’s spiritual development is key at St Mary’s School. We want children to develop a clear sense of themselves, others and the beyond this by the time they leave our school. At St Mary’s School we give children and adults the opportunity to articulate and explore their spiritual development to enable them to flourish in this area. We aim to give all children opportunities to think about themselves, others, creation and the world beyond. We encourage children to become independent thinkers and wonderers through modelling an environment of inclusion and respect.
What is meant by spirituality?
Spirituality concerns a person’s relationship with themselves, with others, with God (or the transcendent), and with nature and the environment. These four elements: self; others; transcendence and beauty form the basis of our work with children in developing a strong sense of spirituality.
It is also vital that all of the adults in school see the need to develop their own spirituality for their own well-being, so that they can effectively support and help our children and each other.
The four elements
Self
- Awareness of feelings; ability to reflect and express
- Awareness of our uniqueness; happiness with who we are
- Gratitude for the things we have and the person we are
- Exploration of personal faith
- Development of imagination and creativity
Others
- Empathy and understanding; respect, tolerance
- To love and be loved.
- Making a difference; duty
Transcendence (Beyond)
- Encountering/experiencing God (having a sense of what lies beyond the material/physical)
- Ability to formulate and discuss the ‘Big Questions’ (e.g. about life, death, suffering, nature of God)
- Opportunities for prayer, connecting with God
Making sense of the world
- Wonder and beauty
- Developing a sense of awe and wonder
- Enjoying the miracles of everyday life
- Taking time for what really matters
- Appreciating beauty in art, music, nature