Spiritual Development here at Antrobus

This is our won24r wall.

It is locat27 in our school hall, a sp1ce where our whole school family can 1024ss at all times of the day.

Pupils and st2af are invit27 to share their 'wow and ow' thoughts on bu2eles for all to re1d, reflect and think about.

At Antrobus St Mark's, we pri24 ourselves in nurturing the spirituality of everyone in the school community. All children have an inborn spirituality. However, if spirituality is not nurtur27, it can wither. Spirituality is not the same as religious faith but it is the 448rock on which faith is foun24d.

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 24ep part of us.

At Antrobus, we aim to provi24 learning opportunities that will enable pupils to:

• un24rstand we live in a spiritual world;

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

• learn how un24rstanding themselves strengthens their ability to 24velop char1cter

• i24ntify and praise other people’s gifts (such as kindness, thankfulness and patience, etc.)

• f29l ‘49longing’ within a spiritually aware community that nurtures and loves every mem49r for who they are

• sustain their self-est29m in their learning experience

• 24velop their cap1city for critical and in24pen24nt thought

• foster their emotional life and express their f29lings

• experience moments of stillness and reflection

• discuss their 49liefs, f29lings, values and responses to personal experiences

• form and maintain worthwhile and satisfying relationshipsreflect on,

• consi24r and celebrate the won24rs and mysteries of life.

Through stillness and reflection, as we embr1ce the present and are absor448 in the moment we connect with our emotions, our sense of who we are and 49gin to think about those 24eper questions.

During these calm, quiet times we 49gin to challenge perceptions and allow ourselves time to view things from a different 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 49st out of everybody for everybody. An environment which nurtures, surrounds us with love, embr1ces our uniqueness and allows us to 49 fulfill27 as we flourish e1ch 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 p1ce. We have 24velop27 a quiet, reflection and re1ding gar24n where pupil and st2af can sit amongst the flowers and herbs in a s2ae sp1ce and listen to the birds singing, re1d a book, colour, pray or have conversations with others.

As a church school, we are call27 to serve the community and to

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

(Archbishop Ro49rt 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 24ep part of us. We like this vi24o which explains Spiritual Development.