In Form time we start each day with a prayer which has been written by the students. In addition to this Form time activities allow pupils to experience spiritual, moral, social and cultural ideals in society. All events are carefully planned for the year in our Annual Plan of Provision.  All staff and students are encouraged to be actively involved in their faith and walk together in our journey of faith with Christ. We want students and staff to work together, care, respect and accept all individuals in our school community and the society around us.

During the four weekly form times where students are not in assembly, their Form Teachers facilitate a daily act of collective worship, using the virtual prayer book designed by the Deputy Headteacher and Lay Chaplain as their basis. Students take an active role in the planning and delivery of daily form prayer, using their form prayer boards and prayer cards as resources to ensure all fully participate and benefit from this.

St Gabriel’s assemblies always begin in prayer and follow themes based on the Church’s Liturgical Calendar. Assemblies begin with the students making the sign of the cross and a leading a time of prayer. They also refer to scripture.

• Each year group participate in a weekly assembly, supported by their Form Teachers. The Deputy Headteacher publishes an assembly rota with themes to be used. Themes first and foremost take consideration of the liturgical calendar, and thereafter link with Catholic beliefs and teachings. Each assembly begins with a liturgy, facilitated by either a Senior Leader or the Head of Year, with students taking an active role in the planning and delivery of this.
• During examination periods where our main hall is unavailable for assemblies, form groups create and deliver virtual assemblies with the support of their Form Teacher on the given themes.
• The quality of collective worship through liturgies in assembly is assured by the Deputy Headteachers and Lay Chaplain to ensure all year groups fully participate in and benefit from these experiences. Training is given to Heads of Year and Form Teachers who are new to role/school and/or not of the Catholic faith to ensure they are confident in their roles as leaders of our faith.

Students contribute to the school’s Catholic life and Mission though their curriculum studies but also through awareness days and weeks such as World Children’s Day, World Down Syndrome Day, Black History Month, Interfaith weeks working closely with Bury Faith Forum, British Science Week, Fair Trade events and Holocaust Memorial Day.

World Children’s Day

Each year, we celebrate and draw attention to World Children’s Day. We explore how the rights of children are explored both locally and globally.

World Down Syndrome Day

This year for World Down Syndrome Day we welcomed back past pupil Daniel to St Gabriel’s to lead our assemblies.

The library set out some books especially for Black History Month. The Gift Team wrote a selection of prayers to commemorate Catholic Black Martyrs and visited Form Groups during the month of October to raise the profile of Black History Month.

Students led the British Science Week Assemblies on the theme of ‘time’.

The Gift Team led assemblies on Interfaith Week. It was inspiring to see how confident students were at articulating each of the world religions.

 

 

 

 

 

Every year, students from St Gabriel’s join with other local primary and secondary schools at Guardian Angel’s Parish Centre for Bury Interfaith Forum, to meet different local faith leaders and learn about their faiths. Students get to learn about different religious artefacts and celebrations.

The Gift Team ran a Christmas Card making workshop during Advent and an Easter Card making workshop during Lent. These were created using fair trade card.

In December, the Gift Team led a Fairtrade awareness event at lunch, where students could sample baked Fair Trade goods and hot chocolate, whilst learning about Fair Trade.

Each year, Mr Turner and Mr Tem’s help St Gabriel’s to reflect and remember those that have been lost to war, in a Remembrance Service. This Year we had the cadets make a poignant display during the service. Members of the Gift Team and the form’s Mission and Prayer Leaders attended this service.

We work closely with Just Youth Spiritan’s who lead our Year 7 Retreat In-House Days. This was invaluable for students to learn team building skills and develop skills of empathy and reflection.

Year 8 visit Castlerigg Manor each year, where they take part in a variety of team building and spiritual activities. This was a wonderful experience for the students and they were able to enhance their skills of reflection and leadership.