SCHOOL PRAYER LIFE
A cOMMUNITY OF PRAYER
Prayer is at the very heart of school life. Whilst prayer can take place anywhere, our school building has been designed to enfold itself around a central, outside space - ‘The Prayer Garden’. This natural centre point, encourages quiet contemplation and is a special place for children, teachers and parents to pray together as a school family and come closer to God in beautiful surroundings.
CELEBRATION OF THE WORD & whole SCHOOL LITURGIES
Prayer is central to school life at St.Finian's. We gather daily to pray in our classrooms, but also regularly join together as a whole school or as a key stage for Celebration of the Word. Mass is celebrated by our parish priest Fr.Kevin at least once each term. We encourage children to actively participate, with opportunities to plan and lead with reverence and confidence. We also join together with local schools and with catholic schools from the Portsmouth Diocese to celebrate solemnities, feast days and special events throughout the liturgical year.
_20230123150730895.jpg?width=320&height=240&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Mrs Jarratt and Bishop Philip (1)")
Our weekly pattern of prayer includes:
Monday Whole school Celebration of the Word linked to the Sunday Gospel, led by the Headteacher.
Tuesday Class led Celebration of the Word
Wednesday Whole school hymn practice (praise & worship focus)
Thursday Key stage/House Celebration of the Word led by class teachers or pupils on a rota basis.
Friday Celebration mission leaf assembly (led by staff, pupils and headteacher)
PRAYERS
Throughout the school day, we recite prayers of the traditional catholic church- Morning, Lunch and End of Day Prayer, The Angelus, The Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, The Glory Be, Act of Contrition,
School Saints
Every child at St.Finian's, belongs to one of three Houses named after our school saints-St. Margaret Clitherow, St. Thomas More and St. Edmund Campion. Children collect house points for their House throughout the year and are encouraged to follow the example set by the lives of our saints; lives of prayer, humilty and service. The winning house is awarded the House Cup at the end of term celebration assembly.
home-school-parish partnership
Parents, parishioners and friends are warmly invited to join school liturgies and celebrations on a regular basis throughout the liturgical year, e.g. Harvest, Advent, a solemnity, feast day or class Celebration of the Word.
Local Parish; Our local church parish is Our Lady of the Assumption, Thatcham, and our parish priest is Fr. Kevin O’Brien. We are also linked with the catholic parishes of St.Joseph's Newbury, St.Mary's Woolhampton and Douai Abbey. As well as school Masses, we also celebrate Mass in the parish e.g. Education Sunday in early September. Several parishioners at Our Lady’s parish serve as school governors.
The parish of Our Lady's runs a First Holy Communion programme each year for our lower KS2 children; this is celebrated at school with families and friends with a special Mass in June, coinciding with the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.
School Newsletters; Our school newsletters inform parents about the catholic life of our school and highlight the Sunday Gospel message. We regularly report on progress made on social action initiatives as part of our Mini Vinnies work and committment to the themes of catholic social teaching (CST) whic thread through school life.
Parish prayer partners; Each class at school has a prayer partner from the parish (an elderly local resident); the children regularly pray for their prayer partner and invite them up to school for special events and afternoon tea parties.
Autumn
· New Term Mass
· Welcome Ceremony (Celebration of the Word)
· Harvest Celebration
· All Saints
· All Souls
· Remembrance Service
· School Feast Day Mass – 12th December
· Reconciliation
· KS2 Advent Service (Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Parish Church)
Spring
· Epiphany Mass
· Ash Wednesday Mass
· Reconciliation
· Stations of the Cross Walk
· Holy Thursday; Washing of Feet (Celebration of the Word)
Summer
· Easter Mass
· Service for Our Lady & Holy Rosary
· Pentecost
· St. Peter and St Paul Mass (celebrating First Holy Communicants)
· Leavers Ceremony (For Y6 and their families)
· End of Year Mass