Our Collective Acts of Worship
We begin each morning with our collective worship, an opportunity to come together to offer praise to God and to learn from his word. Our worship is collective in that it involves meeting, exploring, questioning and responding to others and, for some, to God. In our school, pupils, their families and other adults can expect to encounter worship that is inclusive of, and fully accessible to, all.
Worship shaped by our Christian vision
Our worship flows directly from our Christian vision:
Supporting pupils to be successful, healthy, fulfilled, and empowered to make a difference – strengthened by the hope and example of God.
Each half term’s worship themes and Bible verses are chosen to help pupils reflect on what it means to live out this vision in their lives, considering how faith, perseverance and hope can help them become successful, healthy, fulfilled and empowered. Worship invites pupils and adults to think about how they can use their God-given talents to make a difference for others.
We regularly invite guests who speak about the barriers they have faced, such as poverty, neurodiversity or disability, and how they have drawn on faith, determination and the support of others to achieve success in their careers. The Headteacher ensures that in all such worship, the Christian message remains at the centre, helping pupils to connect personal stories of perseverance and hope with the example of Jesus Christ.
Inclusive and invitational
Whilst Religious Education explores the beliefs of different world religions represented within our community, our times of worship are unashamedly Christian. We recognise that many pupils and staff at William Ford come from homes of different faiths, as well as of no faith background. Pupils are at different stages of their spiritual journey and are given the opportunity to think, reflect and ask questions. Space is made to consent and dissent, to participate and to stand back.
This mirrors our curriculum approach, where each topic begins with a ‘Big Question’ that incorporates scripture and reflection. We want our pupils to question, debate, discuss and learn to disagree well.
All adults attend worship unless they have another professional duty and are invited to participate and reflect alongside pupils, recognising that collective worship contributes to the spiritual flourishing of the whole community.
Nature and style of worship
The style of worship at William Ford is contemporary and relevant to our school community, yet true to the Bible. Songs, prayers, times of quiet reflection, Bible readings, stories and drama complement discussion and encourage engagement.
While our local parish and most of our families belong to evangelical or Pentecostal traditions, our worship remains firmly rooted in Christian teaching and values. We intentionally do not follow explicit Anglican liturgical practice, recognising that this would not reflect our immediate community context. However, the Lord’s Prayer is used periodically within worship, and time is always given for stillness and personal reflection.
The metaphor of ‘warm fires and open doors’ captures our view of participation in worship. The warmth of the fire comes from the clarity and authenticity of the Christian message at its heart. William Ford governors and leadership believe that an encounter with a genuine expression of faith has greater spiritual value than a diluted version. Importantly, the door is open: all are welcome to come in and sit as near or as far away from the fire as they feel comfortable. Pupils and adults are always invited, but never required, to pray, and are equally invited to reflect quietly if they prefer.
The school respects parents’ right to withdraw their child from worship, which can be discussed with the Headteacher.
Planning, partnership and impact
Collective worship is carefully planned and sequenced to promote spiritual flourishing. The Collective Worship Leader works with the Headteacher, governors and clergy to plan worship that is inclusive, invitational and inspiring. Staff have received training through the Diocese of Chelmsford, and diocesan materials are used to support both planning and reflection.
Evaluation of worship takes place through regular discussions between the Headteacher, members of staff and the Worship Council, ensuring that pupils’ views are heard and that worship remains engaging, relevant and reflective of our Christian vision.
For any child or adult who has missed worship, or to give parents an opportunity to share in it, our school radio station broadcasts a reflective show at the end of each day. During this time, members of staff recap the theme of collective worship so that pupils can discuss the message in class, hear it again, and parents can enjoy listening as they collect their children from the playground. This helps ensure the message of hope, faith and reflection continues beyond the hall and reaches the wider school community.
Our Worship Council helps to ensure that worship is meaningful to pupils’ lives and enables all to flourish. Agendas and minutes of these meetings are available on the pupil voice section of our website.
Singing and celebration
At William Ford, we love to sing. Music brings our community together and helps express joy, hope and gratitude. If you would like to join in and sing some of our worship songs with your children, please see our playlist below.