Spirituality

At Quinton Church Primary School, we recognise that taking our pupils on a spiritual journey is central in flourishing together. Provision for developing spirituality is well planned and of high quality so that the whole community is engaged on a journey of discovery.

Spiritual development differs from person to person and is a very personal experience. For this reason, it is difficult to put into words. Spirituality is not the same as having a religion or faith; a person can be spiritual without having a particular faith. For Christians in church, spirituality is about developing a deeper understanding of and connection with God. Through this we are able to respond to the loving nature of God as revealed through the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A school is not a church, but it is a collection of people who come from a variety of backgrounds for the purpose of education. Family backgrounds may be very different and spiritual development must take account of the varied circumstances of staff and pupils.

Therefore, in light of this and in light of our school’s distinctively Christian vision, at Quinton Church Primary School we define spirituality as: our relationship with ourselves, others, the world and beyond, through unpicking the OWs, WOWs and NOWs of life.

Pupils will have opportunities to develop spiritually through daily acts of collective worship and our curriculum, alongside our church community, by marking festivals and celebrations, participating in extra-curricular events and exploring big questions.

Our language of Spirituality

Our language of spirituality begins from a Christian understanding that everyone is a valued creation, individually and uniquely made by God, like pots made by a potter (Isaiah 64:8).

Yet, in life things happen that impact on the physical ‘pot’ of life and create cracks that provide a glimpse of something ‘beyond’ the tangible. Christians would view this an opportunity to relate to the Divine Creator God.

• Cracks may happen when something challenging happens and threatens the comfort of everyday – the ows of life.
• Cracks may be caused when something so good and breath-taking happens that the pot expands and cracks – the wows of life.
• Cracks can also happen in the stillness and ordinariness of everyday – the nows of life, when a moment of stillness, a pause or prayer creates a crack in the normal, physical everyday.

In these special moments there is a spiritual opportunity. Kintsugi, the Japanese arts of mending broken ceramics with golden joinery or glue, creates something that has been broken into something even more beautiful. Using this metaphor, the ows, wows and nows of life offer the possibility of cracks that are filled with gold and make the pot even more beautiful. The gold in the cracks reflect a little of the wonder of spirituality.

Quinton Church Primary School uses this language and the concepts of ows, wows and nows. These are used to explore relationships with:

• Ourselves
• Others
• The wider natural world
• Beyond – offering the invitation to relate to God

Spirituality throughout the curriculum

Opportunities for enhancing the spiritual well-being of learners and adults are developed in every aspect of our school life, whether it be through collective worship, the whole curriculum (including RE) and the general culture of the school within daily life. Drawing on the language of ows, wows and nows, conversations around spirituality will be included in classroom teaching from EYFS to Year 6.

Spirituality within the daily life of Quinton Church Primary School

At Quinton, we view spiritual growth as becoming more and more aware of one’s natural, innate spirituality. These opportunities happen throughout each and every day as children deal with delight, disappointment and the chance to be present with themselves. For this reason, every member of the school community is familiar with the school’s shared language of spirituality and will respond to pupils appropriately.

Throughout the daily life of the school, including lunch times and playtimes, pupils know that their references to ows, wows and nows will be heard and taken seriously. They will be encouraged to reflect on these experiences and be comfortable about talking about the golden glue of spirituality.