Church School
Our Christian vision underpins all that we do at Hildenborough CE Primary School. We feel it is important for both adults and children alike to understand that Christian values are based on God and the work of Jesus Christ. We believe that the understanding and application of Christian values strengthens the school community’s spiritual development and this is reflected through daily deeds and actions. Core Christian values include hope, righteousness, love, and putting God first in our lives. As a school, the whole community voted for our chosen Christian values of love, compassion, hope, honesty, courage and endurance to enhance the children’s curriculum and daily school life. These also link to our learning values, each one teaches educates the children on how they can be the best that they can be! Our school Christian family know and understand how our vision shapes our school and its every day life.
As a school we strive to support the local community in a variety of ways, showing compassion and love: singing at the Farmers Market and at the Nursing Home, supporting the local food bank, litter picking, raising money for church funds and many more. We work with the wider community to be the best that we can be, both in school and outside in the wider village.
Spirituality
At Hildenborough CE Primary School, we value the development of children’s mind, body and spirit. Our school understanding of spirituality is grounded in the Christian tradition and influences all areas of education and life.
Spirituality is an innate human capacity. It enables us to become aware of God, one another, the world around us and ourselves. As a school we provide children with openings for spiritual development through windows, mirrors and doors. This is for the ‘wows’ and ‘ows’ that we experience in the world.
(Please see the Developing Spirituality document below).
Religious Education
As a school, we follow the Rochester Diocesan materials in line with the Kent Agreed Syllabus, ensuring a broad and balanced curriculum. Staff supplement the plans with creative and engaging inputs and activities; such as, teaching through art and drama.
The teaching of Christianity forms the core of the syllabus complemented by teaching and learning about Judaism, Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. In line with the Church of England Statement of Entitlement for RE, this ensures the children are able to understand that people have different beliefs, preparing them for life in a multi-cultural society.
Click here to view and/or download the Religious Education Policy.
Collective Worship & our Worship Wardens
Our daily worship is highly valued and encourages the whole community to gather, engage, respond and send. Each class carries a class cross into worship; these crosses are also a sign of respect for the environment we are entering into as we come together for worship. The school community then engages in its collective worship with enthusiastic singing, reverence in prayer time and participation by the children (both planned and spontaneous). Worship is a focal part of the school day and is led by a variety of people, including staff, clergy and children. We seek to plan acts of worship which are inclusive, invitational and inspiring.
Our 'Worship Wardens' are our pupil worship leaders who are responsible for engaging the school in worship by helping us to gather and by sending us out to live what we have heard and by leading some of our prayers. The Worship Wardens regularly meet with our RE and Worship leader. Worship takes place in class, in the hall, in church and even outside! Parents are invited to attend church worship at regular times throughout the year.
Collective Worship enables both adults and children to understand the importance of prayer through its modelling in worship. This is developed further through interactive reflective areas in the classroom; the prayer box available for all the school community; prayer within the classroom; and the school prayer station, which is changed once each short term.
Our Church
At Hildenborough CE Primay School, we enjoy a very close relationship with our church: St. John’s Church, Hildenborough. As a school, we visit the church for worship at least once a term and a member of the clergy (our Vicar, Tim Saiet) visits us regularly to lead worship in school.
The children also visit the church during Religious Education lessons to find out about various aspects of the church and services, such as baptism.
Through our association with the church, we are able to strengthen our links with the local community through visits to the Farmers’ Market (held in the church hall); our choir singing for members of the village community; and links with other local schools at some church services, e.g. Remembrance.
We also invite our parents and families to the church for services at Harvest, Easter and end of the school year (Year 6 Leavers).