Church Schools
At St Michael’s Church of England Primary School, our Christian vision is at the heart of everything we do. As a Church of England school, we are committed to providing a nurturing, inclusive and aspirational education where every child is valued and encouraged to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.
Church schools have a long history of serving their communities. The Church of England has been involved in education for over 200 years, founded on the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and achieve their potential. Today, Church schools continue this mission by serving families from all backgrounds and beliefs within a caring Christian environment.
Our vision, “Believe and Achieve to be the best that we can be,” is rooted in Christian values including Hope, Compassion, Peace, Forgiveness, Justice, Humility and Trust. These values shape daily life at our school and can be seen in the relationships we build, the way we care for one another and the opportunities we provide for children to lead, reflect and make a difference in the world around them.
Spiritual development is woven throughout school life. Through Collective Worship, reflection, courageous advocacy, pupil leadership and opportunities for awe and wonder, we encourage children to ask big questions, develop empathy and grow into thoughtful, compassionate individuals who understand their value and their responsibility towards others.
Collective Worship
Collective Worship is central to school life...it is the 'heartbeat' for us! We are all invited to attend at the start of every day! Children tell us that they love it...it's calm...it's fun...it's a safe place to be! Much of what happens in Collective Worship underpins our work on spiritual development. We have a long term plan where we focus on one of Christian values every half-term and link this to a bible story as well as looking at our value in everyday life.
Each week, we also come together for a ‘Working Worship’ in our colour teams. During this time, children explore current events and big questions using Picture News. These sessions encourage children to think deeply about the world around them, reflect on different viewpoints and consider how they can be courageous advocates for change. Through discussion, reflection and debate, children learn to express their opinions respectfully, develop empathy and make links between our Christian values and real-life situations. Picture News supports children to grow spiritually, morally, socially and culturally by helping them understand that their voice matters and that even small actions can make a positive difference in the world.
We regularly hold Collective Worship at St Michael's Church and we have a permanent display which showcases our work to the local parish. This is in the main worship area and updated half-termly. We are working on developing reflective responses to our work from the parishioners.
We encourage other members of the local faith community to regularly support worship at school.
We actively invite parents to celebrate worship at school including our Harvest festival, Christingle Service and Easter Pilgrimage. Previously, we have held a toothpaste day to celebrate and promote a deeper understanding of the Holy Trinity as well as using fidget spinners to support this understanding!
There is more information about what happens in our Collective Worships on the front page of our website. For existing parents, there is lots of information on Class Dojo about worship in school.
Harvest
Rooted in our Christian vision, our Harvest celebrations encourage us to show thankfulness, compassion and justice as we support Lincoln Larder and care for our wider community. During Harvest Week, children across school explore themes of fairness, sustainability and gratitude through a range of creative and practical learning opportunities.
Children investigate where food comes from, how harvest is celebrated around the world and the importance of sharing resources fairly. Through activities linked to history, geography, science and outdoor learning, they reflect on questions about food poverty, sustainability, food miles and global responsibility.
Older children take part in debates and discussions exploring fairness in trade, rationing and how food should be shared in times of difficulty. They also compare modern food choices with those from the past and consider how our decisions can impact others around the world.
Younger children enjoy harvest crafts, storytelling, outdoor learning and opportunities to explore seasonal foods and traditions. Across school, children are encouraged to reflect on how they can live out our Christian values through kindness, generosity and caring for others.
Christmas
Easter
Easter is a very special time in our school and is one of the most reflective and meaningful parts of our Christian year. We hold our own Holy Week if it does not fit with the traditional time, allowing all children to fully engage with the events of Easter in a memorable and meaningful way.
We begin the week by each bringing flowers to decorate our school cross — it always looks so beautiful! As the flowers fade during Holy Week and over the Easter holidays, children reflect on how this symbol links to the events of Easter and the death of Jesus. When we return to school, we use this image to explore ideas of sadness, hope and resurrection.
Tuesday is normally our whole school outdoor learning day — lots of koinonia in action! Children reflect on the Easter story through a range of activities, appreciate God’s world and enjoy eating sausages cooked on the open fire together. This is always a very special day of teamwork, reflection and community.
Thursday is our pilgrimage day where we walk around our village exploring the Stations of the Cross before finishing with a shared meal and a service at St Michael's Church.
Throughout the week, we also work together on creative art projects linked to Easter. This year, we explored different types of crosses, while last year we focused on the Stations of the Cross.
Spiritual Development
Couregous Advocates
At St Michael’s Church of England Primary School, we believe every child has the power to make a positive difference. Rooted in our Christian vision and values, we encourage children to become courageous advocates who show compassion, serve others and care for the world around them.
Through Collective Worship, Picture News, Religious Education and wider school life, children are encouraged to think deeply about issues of justice, fairness and responsibility.
Working together in six house teams, pupils lead charity work, community events, environmental projects and acts of service both within school and beyond.
From Harvest donations for the local food bank to supporting local initiatives through our Helping Hands group, children learn that even small actions can have a lasting impact. We are proud to nurture thoughtful, courageous young people who understand that their voice matters and that they can help bring positive change to their community and wider world.
Click on our Courageous Advocacy page to find out more about how our children are making a difference within school, the local community and the wider world.
Pupil Leadership
Pupil leadership plays an important role in life at St Michael’s Church of England Primary School, with children encouraged to take responsibility, serve others and make a positive contribution to the school community.
Across the school, pupils are given meaningful opportunities to develop confidence, teamwork and leadership skills through a wide range of roles and responsibilities. Year 6 pupils support Reception children as buddies, helping them settle into life at St Michael’s, while older pupils also lead lunchtime clubs and support the use of technology across the school.
Children across Key Stage 2 contribute to whole-school groups such as Helping Hands, where pupils work together to support both the school and wider community.
Pupils also take an active role in Collective Worship, with each class helping to plan and lead worship throughout the year, while children from every class respectfully carry in the Bible and candle each day.
Through these opportunities, pupils learn the importance of service, responsibility and using their voice to make a difference within both school and the wider community.
Click on our Pupil Leadership page to find out more.
Religious Education
Religious Education plays an important role in life at St Michael’s Church of England Primary School, helping pupils to become thoughtful, respectful and curious about the world around them.
Rooted in our vision to Believe and Achieve to be the best that we can be, RE is taught through a worldviews approach, encouraging children to explore how beliefs, values and traditions shape people’s lives and communities.
Through discussion, reflection and enquiry, pupils are encouraged to ask big questions, consider different perspectives and develop understanding and empathy towards others.
Our curriculum follows the Church of England Statement of Entitlement and the Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus, supporting children to become religiously literate and preparing them to live well in an increasingly diverse world.
Click on our Religious Education page to find out more.
Church and Community
Strong links with St Michael's Church and the wider community are an important part of life at St Michael’s Church of England Primary School. We value our close partnership with Reverend Vaughan, who regularly leads Collective Worship, supports the spiritual life of the school and serves as a governor and critical friend.
Children regularly visit the church for worship and learning, exploring Christianity through experiences such as learning about baptism and weddings within the church setting itself.
Reception and Year 6 pupils visit church together as part of welcoming children into the St Michael’s family, while pupils also help plant bulbs within the church grounds each year and proudly take part in the annual Remembrance Service at the local memorial.
As a school, we celebrate important Christian festivals with the local community through services such as Harvest, Christmas and Christingle, invite members of the congregation into school for events such as coffee mornings and our Easter Pilgrimage, and deliver cards to local residents throughout the year.
We are also proud to share our love of reading with the community through the book-sharing shelf created within church.
Through these shared experiences and partnerships, children develop a strong sense of belonging, service and connection to both the church and wider community.
Flourishing for All
At St Michael’s Church of England Primary School, we believe every child is uniquely valued and created with their own gifts, talents and potential. Rooted in our Christian vision and values, we are committed to nurturing the whole child academically, spiritually, socially and emotionally so that all members of our school community can flourish. Through a caring, inclusive and supportive environment, children are encouraged to grow in confidence, develop resilience, build positive relationships and become the very best version of themselves. We strive to ensure that every child feels safe, respected, inspired and able to thrive within our school family.Enter text...