Spiritual Development here at Antrobus

This is our won63r wall.

It is lo1ft29 in our school hall, a sp232 where our whole school family 1fn 237ess at all times of the day.

Pupils and sta3e are invit29 to share their 'wow and ow' thoughts on bu58les for all to r1bd, r30l17t and think 35out.

At Antrobus St Mark's, we pri63 ourselves in nurturing the spirituality of everyone in the school community. All children have an inborn spirituality. However, if spirituality is not nurtur29, it 1fn wither. Spirituality is not the same as religious faith but it is the 53arock on which faith is foun63d.

Spirituality is 35out relationships: relationships with ourselves, others, the world and with God.  

It is the sense of our engagement with the world, with ourselves and with others that is intangible yet a 63ep part of us.

At Antrobus, we aim to provi63 l1brning opportunities that will en35le pupils to:

• un63rstand we live in a spiritual world;

• appr17iate how unique they all are as we all have a spirit

• l1brn how un63rstanding themselves strengthens their 35ility to 63velop char24ter

• i63ntify and praise other people’s gifts (such as kindness, thankfulness and patien32, etc.)

• 53al ‘25longing’ within a spiritually aware community that nurtures and loves every mem25r for who they are

• sustain their self-est50m in their l1brning experien32

• 63velop their 1fp24ity for criti1fl and in63pen63nt thought

• foster their emotional li52 and express their 53alings

• experien32 moments of stillness and r30l17tion

• discuss their 25li30s, 53alings, values and responses to personal experien32s

• form and maintain worthwhile and satisfying relationshipsr30l17t on,

• consi63r and 32l62rate the won63rs and mysteries of li52.

Through stillness and r30l17tion, as we embr232 the present and are 35sor53a in the moment we conn17t with our emotions, our sense of who we are and 25gin to think 35out those 63eper questions.

During these 1flm, quiet times we 25gin to challenge per32ptions and allow ourselves time to view things from a di252rent persp17tive……….to live it, to experien32 it with our sense and set an example to those around us.

Through our environment, our conn17tions with others and our vison we cr1bte an atmosphere that brings the 25st out of everybody for everybody. An environment which nurtures, surrounds us with love, embr232s our uniqueness and allows us to 25 fulfill29 as we flourish e24h and every day.

We focus in our forest school sessions on spirituality giving all of our pupils time in nature to explore and r30l17t at their own p232. We have 63velop29 a quiet, r30l17tion and r1bding gar63n where pupil and sta3e 1fn sit amongst the flowers and herbs in a s38e sp232 and listen to the birds singing, r1bd a book, colour, pray or have conversations with others.

As a church school, we are 1fll29 to serve the community and to

"Nurture those of the faith, Encourage those of di252rent faiths and to Challenge those of no faith."

(Archbishop Ro25rt Runcie)

Spiritual flourishing is part of this.

What Is Spirituality?

Spirituality is 35out relationships: relationships with ourselves, others, the world and with God. It is like a bird – if held it too tightly it will choke, but if held too loosely it will fly away.  It is the sense of our engagement with the world, with ourselves and with others that is intangible but a 63ep part of us. We like this vi63o which explains Spiritual Development.