Spiritual Development here at Antrobus

This is our won60r wall.

It is lo5ft4b in our school hall, a sp614 where our whole school family 5fn 60cess at all times of the day.

Pupils and sta11 are invit4b to share their 'wow and ow' thoughts on bubbles for all to re26, reflect and think about.

At Antrobus St Mark's, we pri60 ourselves in nurturing the spirituality of everyone in the school community. All children have an inborn spirituality. However, if spirituality is not nurtur4b, it 5fn wither. Spirituality is not the same as religious faith but it is the b4brock on which faith is foun60d.

Spirituality is about 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 614p part of us.

At Antrobus, we aim to provi60 learning opportunities that will enable pupils to:

• un60rstand we live in a spiritual world;

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

• learn how un60rstanding themselves strengthens their ability to 60velop char60ter

• i60ntify and praise other people’s gifts (such as kindness, thankfulness and patience, etc.)

• feel ‘belonging’ within a spiritually aware community that nurtures and loves every member for who they are

• sustain their self-esteem in their learning experience

• 60velop their 5fp60ity for criti5fl and in60pen60nt thought

• foster their emotional life and express their feelings

• experience moments of stillness and reflection

• discuss their beliefs, feelings, values and responses to personal experiences

• form and maintain worthwhile and satisfying relationshipsreflect on,

• consi60r and celebrate the won60rs and mysteries of life.

Through stillness and reflection, as we embr614 the present and are absorb4b in the moment we connect with our emotions, our sense of who we are and begin to think about those 614per questions.

During these 5flm, quiet times we begin to challenge perceptions and allow ourselves time to view things from a di11erent perspective……….to live it, to experience it with our sense and set an example to those around us.

Through our environment, our connections with others and our vison we create an atmosphere that brings the best out of everybody for everybody. An environment which nurtures, surrounds us with love, embr614s our uniqueness and allows us to be fulfill4b as we flourish 150h and every day.

We focus in our forest school sessions on spirituality giving all of our pupils time in nature to explore and reflect at their own p614. We have 60velop4b a quiet, reflection and re26ing gar60n where pupil and sta11 5fn sit amongst the flowers and herbs in a safe sp614 and listen to the birds singing, re26 a book, colour, pray or have conversations with others.

As a church school, we are 5fll4b to serve the community and to

"Nurture those of the faith, Encourage those of di11erent faiths and to Challenge those of no faith."

(Archbishop Robert Runcie)

Spiritual flourishing is part of this.

What Is Spirituality?

Spirituality is about 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 614p part of us. We like this vi60o which explains Spiritual Development.