Prayer and Worship

Prayer and Liturgy at St Bernadette:

As a Catholic primary school, prayer and liturgy plays a fundamental part of daily school life and enables us all to join together as one in prayer and worship. This is demonstrated in whole school assemblies, class liturgies and celebrations. 

As a school we recognise the need and importance for spontaneous prayer and encourage the children to find peace, talk to God and walk in friendship with Mary and Jesus.

 Daily Prayer:

We pray three times during the school day. Please click on the buttons below to see the different prayers that we do.

School Prayer Morning Prayer Grace before Meals End of Day Prayer 

In October and May we pray the Rosary asking for the intercession of Mary for our intentions. 

After the morning prayer, the children in KS1 and KS2 are invited to say a silent prayer for specific intentions. The children can decide the prayer intention for the day or pupils can ask the class to pray for specific intentions which have arisen – a sick relative, exam worries, friendship issues etc. This is a time for silent spontaneous prayer.

Spontaneous prayer:

Spontaneous prayer is a natural, conversational way to talk with God, removing the need for specific times. These prayers can be short, heartfelt moments during daily activities like morning break, moments of sadness or during daily routines. They help children feel God's presence, express gratitude, and manage emotions. Spontaneous prayer can be a simple thank you to God or more heartfelt with a specific intention. 

Celebrations: 

During Advent the children in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 each perform the nativity. The story of the Nativity is retold through scripture and carols. 

During Lent, our Year 6 children take us through the Stations of the Cross. During this reflection, we pray the Glory Be and the Lord’s Prayer at every station.

Classroom Worship:

Classroom worship takes place once a week. We call this ‘Prayer and Liturgy’. All the children from Nursery up to Year 6 take part. The focus for each week is a piece of scripture from the Bible. The children work in groups to help plan with their class teacher. The children take ownership, offer up their own prayer intentions and include various types of prayer such as meditation and hymns.

 Meditation in Prayer:

Meditation in prayer for children involves combining quiet, focused reflection with prayer to help them connect with God, reduce anxiety, and be calm and still in the moment. Techniques include using breath-focused prayers, guided imagination (like imagining sitting with Jesus), or repeating a mantra to help bring calm and stillness. It can last from 1 minute up to 5 minutes depending on the age of the children. 

Key Meditation Techniques for Children:

• Prayers direct to Heaven: Children silently pray and visualize their prayers rising to God.
• Breathing Prayer: Teaching children to breathe deeply and slowly, associating the breath with God's peace or repeating phrases like "Jesus is peace" while tapping fingers.
• Heart Room Meditation: Guiding children to use their imagination to find their "Heart Home," a peaceful place to meet Jesus.
• Mantra/Word Meditation: Using a simple, repetitive word like "Maranatha" (meaning "Come Lord") to help focus and manage distractions.
• Body Relaxation Prayer: Lying down, closing eyes, and relaxing the body, using imagery to feel God's presence.
• Gratitude Meditation: Specifically taking time to think about blessings and thanking God for specific things, such as family, food, or friends.

Prayer through Hymns:

Praying with hymns turns singing into active prayer. It allows children to reflect, express and make a spiritual connection with God. Singing hymns is a prayerful offering where the focus is on the lyrics of the hymn and their personal meaning to each participant.

Whole School Assemblies:

The whole school gathers together each week for an assembly linked to the liturgical season, Sunday’s Gospel, Catholic social Teaching or other religious themes such as Saints. During assemblies the children practice hymns and songs used in Mass.

Mass:

Throughout the year, we have the joy of celebrating the Sacrament of the Eucharist in school and at our Church, Our Lady, St Mary of Walsingham. Our local Parish Priest  welcomes us to church and also comes to school and celebrates Mass throughout the year. Children help to prepare and lead the Mass through Altar Serving, reading and bringing up the gifts during Mass.

Liturgies:

Throughout the year, to mark important events in the Church’s liturgical year, we hold special Liturgies such as Harvest and Remembrance. We hold an Advent Mass and an end of year Mass. During these celebrations the children are involved in reading, singing and the offertory.

Prayer Progression:

As a school we recognise the importance of prayer progression. Each year group has a set of prayers to follow, learn and think about during prayer and liturgy, RE lessons and spontaneous prayer. We follow the Religious Education Directory (RED) set out by the Westminster Diocese. The prayers for each year group are reflected in the learning from each of the branches in the RED.