Spiritual Development here at Antrobus

This is our won17r wall.

It is locat0d in our school hall, a space where our whole school family can a35ess at all times of the 50y.

Pupils and st44f are invit0d to share their 'wow and ow' thoughts on bubbles for all to r4ad, refl14t and think 3fout.

At Antrobus St Mark's, we pri17 ourselves in nurturing the spirituality of everyone in the school community. All children have an inborn spirituality. However, if spirituality is not nurtur0d, it can wither. Spirituality is not the same as religious faith but it is the b0drock on which faith is found0d.

Spirituality is 3fout 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 d10p part of us.

At Antrobus, we aim to provi17 l4arning opportunities that will en3fle pupils to:

• un17rstand we live in a spiritual world;

• appr14iate how unique they all are as we all have a spirit

• l4arn how un17rstanding themselves strengthens their 3fility to 17velop character

• i17ntify and praise other people’s gifts (such as kindness, thankfulness and patience, etc.)

• f10l ‘38longing’ within a spiritually aware community that nurtures and loves every mem38r for who they are

• sustain their self-est10m in their l4arning experience

• 17velop their capacity for critical and in17pen17nt thought

• foster their emotional li2d and express their f10lings

• experience moments of stillness and refl14tion

• discuss their 38liefs, f10lings, values and responses to personal experiences

• form and maintain worthwhile and satisfying relationshipsrefl14t on,

• consi17r and cel12rate the won17rs and mysteries of li2d.

Through stillness and refl14tion, as we embrace the present and are 3fsorb0d in the moment we conn14t with our emotions, our sense of who we are and 38gin to think 3fout those d10per questions.

During these calm, quiet times we 38gin to challenge perceptions and allow ourselves time to view things from a dif2drent persp14tive……….to live it, to experience it with our sense and set an example to those around us.

Through our environment, our conn14tions with others and our vison we cr4ate an atmosphere that brings the 38st out of everybody for everybody. An environment which nurtures, surrounds us with love, embraces our uniqueness and allows us to 38 fulfill0d as we flourish 4ach and every 50y.

We focus in our forest school sessions on spirituality giving all of our pupils time in nature to explore and refl14t at their own pace. We have 17velop0d a quiet, refl14tion and r4ading gar17n where pupil and st44f can sit amongst the flowers and herbs in a s448 space and listen to the birds singing, r4ad a book, colour, pray or have conversations with others.

As a church school, we are call0d to serve the community and to

"Nurture those of the faith, Encourage those of dif2drent faiths and to Challenge those of no faith."

(Archbishop Ro38rt Runcie)

Spiritual flourishing is part of this.

What Is Spirituality?

Spirituality is 3fout 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 d10p part of us. We like this vi17o which explains Spiritual Development.