Prayer and Liturgy Policy

Prayer & Liturgy Policy including School Procedures

Approved by:

Local Governing Committee

Approved on:

30th November 2023

Review date:

1st December 2024

Originator(s):

DSW/SPE/DPM

Version No:

1

Version Date:

November 2023

Regular liturgical celebrations and daily prayers in accordance with the rites, practices, discipline and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church, should be at the heart of school life. (A7.7) The celebration of Catholic liturgies and prayers as an integral part of learning and teaching should create time for the school community to become reflective, experience the presence of God and develop a mature spiritual life. (A8.7) From Christ at the Centre: A Summary of Why the Church Provides Catholic Schools, The Right Reverend Marcus Stock STL MA, Director of Schools, 2005 1. Introduction The Church proclaims the faith and reveals “to all ages the transcendent goal which alone gives life its full meaning”.

She establishes her own schools because she considers them as a privileged means of promoting the formation of the whole man.

The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education 19 March 1977 Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in a Catholic school. His revelation gives new meaning to life and helps man to direct his thought, action and will according to the Gospel, making the beatitudes his norm of life. The fact that in their own individual way all member of the school community share this Christian vision, make the school “Catholic”; principles of the Gospel in this manner become the educational norms since the school then has them as its internal motivation and final goal.

The life of St Cuthbert, the patron of our school and Diocese, inspires our Catholic life. As both a Prior and a Bishop, Cuthbert taught us that leadership involves showing compassion and commitment to those who you meet and also service of others.

We strive to put Christ at the Centre of all we do and challenge our pupils to become young men of integrity, educated in faith and for justice. In keeping with the finest traditions of Catholic education, we strive to form young men of competence, conscience, compassion and commitment. Above all, St Cuthbert’s prepares young men to find their God-given calling and answer it with energy and passion. In our school, in our local community and around the world, our young men serve, lead, and strive to make a difference in the lives of others.

Our values of faith, Catholic spirituality, formation of the whole person, a world affirming perspective, diversity, scholarship, service and leadership underpin our Catholic Life.

Catholic Life at St Cuthbert’ includes all pupils and staff, for it is they, through their own individual contributions to the Gospel message, that make St Cuthbert’s a Catholic school in the truest sense.

The Church proclaims the faith and reveals “to all ages the transcendent goal which alone gives life its full meaning”. She establishes her own schools because she considers them as a privileged means of promoting the formation of the whole man.

1.1 Aims St Cuthbert’s aims to provide opportunities for pupils and staff to come together in community to worship God and to respond to the invitation from God to be in relationship with Him. Prayer and Liturgy reflect the traditions of our Church, taking into account the spiritual and educational needs of all who share in it: ▪ ▪ ▪

those who form part of the worshipping community in church. those for whom school may be their first and only experience of church. those from other Christian traditions, faith communities or none.

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1.2 We endeavour to do this by: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

helping to develop the faith of each individual within our community promoting the belief that our school is a caring community giving pupils an insight into and understanding of Gospel values developing an understanding of the responsibilities the Gospel values place upon each individual within the community developing a sense of mission encourage those who form part of the worshipping community in church help those for whom school may be their first and only experience of church include pupils from other Christian traditions, or none or from other faith backgrounds; and provide an educational activity or experience to which all can contribute and from which all can gain

2. St Cuthbert’s Vision, Mission and Values On Thursday 8th July 2021, the Governors approved a new Vision, Mission and Values statement for the school. This was the product of much work, prayer, and reflection. Part of the mission statement reads: “To form young men of competence, conscience, compassion, and commitment."

2.1 Vision To be a premier Catholic learning community for the 21st century, preparing young men to witness to Christ and so create a world of justice, peace, truth and love.

2.2 Mission St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School is a community gathered together by God, to form fine young men of integrity who will live according to the pattern of life given to us by Jesus Christ. We will strive, through dedication to academic excellence and the formation of the whole person, to form young men of competence, conscience, compassion, and commitment, who, educated in faith and for justice, will live their lives in the service of others.

2.3 Values ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Faith – to give boys of all faiths and none, a profound, life-changing experience that focuses on God’s unconditional love and a deeper understanding of themselves as persons of faith and confidence in themselves.

Catholic Spirituality – to root students in the Catholic faith and the rich diverse spirituality of the Catholic tradition To focus on loving service to God and neighbour. To discover and share one’s gifts and talents with the world.

Formation of the Whole Person – to thoughtfully and intentionally integrate the fullness of human experience through spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social and physical development.

A World Affirming Perspective – to provide a spiritual dimension which sees creation as good. To promote a dialogue between faith and culture, which fosters the capacity for critical and original thinking. To appreciate the gifts of life.

Diversity – to create and sustain a vibrant, inclusive community reflecting the expansive demographics and rich mixture of Newcastle’s population.

Scholarship – to build a culture of lifelong learning and inquiry through a rigorous and innovative Catholic curriculum.

Service – to be informed by a faith that does justice. To challenge our boys to be “Men for and with Others.” To be in companionship with –and learning from – the disenfranchised, the marginalized and the most in need. To serve as Jesus did.

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Leadership – to develop young men who are compassionate, intellectually distinguished and morally courageous. To create young men of integrity who become effective “agents of change” for the world.

2.4 Motto Quies in Caelo (Rest in heaven) The episcopal motto of Bishop John William Bewick (Bishop of Hexham & Newcastle, 1882-1886) 2.5 School Prayer Ever living God, who did call your servant Cuthbert to proclaim the Gospel in northern England and gave him a loving heart and gentle spirit: Grant us grace to live as he did, in simplicity, humility and love for the poor. Grant us also the grace to become people of competence, conscience, compassion, and commitment, so that we might give our lives, as our patron did, in the service of others. Amen.

3. The Aims of Prayer and Liturgy at St Cuthbert’s ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

to reflect upon the mystery that is God to provide opportunities for pupils, students and staff to come to know Jesus Christ through prayer and action to heighten pupils’, students’ and staff awareness of questions related to the ultimate mysteries of life and to explore the beliefs and commitments made by themselves and others in response to such questions to grow in liturgical understanding and development with specific reference to the Catholic tradition to respond to life’s challenges, celebrate life’s wonders and comfort and console at times of difficulty to celebrate the richness and diversity of our God given creation and the responsibilities we have for its stewardship to give opportunities for silent contemplation, reflection, personal response and prayer to explore, reflect on, express, affirm, or challenge commonly accepted personal and social values and individually held beliefs to express our faith as a Christian community thus reinforcing the sense of belonging, the development of community spirit, the promotion of a common ethos and the reinforcement of positive attitudes to provide staff and pupils with opportunities to worship God hence enabling individual spiritual moral development; and to offer pupils the opportunity to prepare themselves for challenges in their adult life

3.1 To Fulfil These Aims, we will: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

ensure the Act of Worship is seen as part of the total curriculum, an integral part of the life of the school and seen to be important adopt an approach that is based on educational principles which aid the spiritual development of individuals. Therefore, the form, shape and content will be educational respect the integrity of the individual, to give the opportunity to participate creatively and encourage each to make an individual response to a shared experience build up accessible resource materials for use in assemblies and the daily act of worship experiences of prayer and worship will be high quality, reflecting the liturgical seasons and feasts of the Church endeavour to provide a physical environment that is conducive to the above involve a wider combination of staff, pupils and relevant members of the community in assemblies; and provide opportunities to quality assure and review Prayer and Liturgy Page 4 of 12

4. Organisation of Prayer and Liturgy ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them’ Matthew 18:20 This familiar saying of Jesus provides the starting point for understanding prayer and liturgy within a Catholic school. Whenever we come together to pray or to celebrate the Sacraments or to hear the scriptures, Christ is present and active. Prayer and Liturgy at St Cuthbert’s is rich and varied.

4.1 Liturgy at St Cuthbert’s The most familiar forms of the liturgy celebrated in school are the Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The liturgical books, such as the Roman Missal and the Lectionary, set out the structure to be followed, the words to be spoken, the gestures to be performed, and the symbols to be used when celebrating a liturgy. The possibility for some creativity and adaptation remains but they have to be exercised within the parameters authorised by the liturgical books. (a) Weekly Mass Every Form Class from Years 7-11 will celebrate Mass in the Chapel once a year with one of our parish priests. Before celebrating Mass, pupils will have a preparatory session with the Head of RE where they will cover: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

the importance of Mass to Catholics and the School Community transubstantiation and the Real Presence the organisation of readers and the offertory procession (by pupils who are Catholic) Holy Communion for Catholics and non-Catholics responses appropriate behaviours and etiquette

Following Mass, pupils will go for an early lunch with their tutor. (b) First Friday Mass We continue to offer the tradition of First Friday Mass with one of our Parish Priests in the Chapel at 8am. Both staff and pupils/students are welcome to attend. (c) Holy Days of Obligation/Main Hall Masses Each Year group will have the opportunity to celebrate Mass with one of our Parish Priests in the Main Hall. These Masses will be accompanied by our school musicians and choir.

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Year 7- Welcome Mass Year 8- Remembrance Mass Year 9- Saints Peter and Paul Year 10- Feast of St Cuthbert Year 11- Leavers Mass Sixth Form- Leavers’ Mass

(d) Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament ‘By standing before the Eucharistic Christ, we become holy.’ Blessed Carlo Acutis Page 5 of 12

Eucharistic Adoration is time spent with Christ. Talk with Him, listen to Him, sit quietly with Him. We believe that Exposition deepens our faith and our relationship with God. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Friday of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of the month in the Chapel at 8am. It also takes place at various points throughout the Liturgical Year, such as the Feast of Corpus Christi. (e) Sacrament of Reconciliation “To celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation means to be wrapped in a warm embrace” Pope Francis Pupils, students and staff have the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation termly but especially during Advent and Lent. Participants enter the Chapel and share the Liturgy of the Word, then spend time examining their conscience before confessing to one of our Parish Priests.

They then have the opportunity to perform penance in the Chapel. (f) Sacrament of Confirmation Pupils who are willing and able to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation are assisted by members of staff at St Cuthbert’s. Our Deanery Parishes now take the lead in organising sacramental preparation but continue to work with local schools.

4.2 Celebrations of the Word at St Cuthbert’s As the time allotted to prayer lengthens and the number of people involved grows, there is a corresponding need for more formal structures. The term ‘celebrations of the word’ is used for celebrations which are created for the school community and not directly taken from the liturgical books of the Church.

These celebrations will take many forms, but the common element is the proclamation of scripture.

These include assemblies, carol services, and other gatherings of all or part of the school community for special times and occasions. They may draw upon elements of the liturgy, such as its texts, symbols, and gestures, which help to reinforce their Catholic nature, but the various elements may be used with greater creative freedom than in the liturgy itself. (a) Weekly Collective Worship (Assemblies) The weekly assembly for each year group is an important event as it symbolises our community and unity of purpose and is an opportunity for us to reflect and pray together. The central purpose of the assembly is the opportunity for the year group to pray together. The assembly will (as a minimum): ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Have a Church teaching or scripture passage on the screen as pupils/students enter (linked to the theme of the assembly) Begin with the Sign of the Cross Include an explanation of the Word Include an appropriate communal prayer

‘Liturgical assemblies’ will also take place throughout the school Year linked to the Liturgical Calendar.

Pupils in current Year 7 will sing their chosen hymn at the end of each assembly. They will continue this practice in Year 8 onwards. Every Year 7 cohort will choose their own year group hymn. (b) Form Class Liturgical Prayer

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Every Form Class in Years 7-13 will plan and lead liturgical prayer to be delivered in the Chapel with the Head of RE and their form tutor. The Liturgical Prayer will feature music, a focal point, appropriate readings and prayers written and planned by the pupils. The Head of RE will evaluate the Liturgical Prayer and feedback to the Form Class.

4.3 Prayer at St Cuthbert’s Prayer has been traditionally described as ‘lifting up of the hearts and minds to God’, which means it involves our whole person – our head as well as our heart. This definition expresses a fundamental understanding that God is concerned and interested about what goes on in our lives; is due our expression of thanksgiving and gratitude; and responds to us when we express our needs. This basic dynamic of recognition, thanksgiving, and intercession forms the core of all prayer and liturgy.

It is wholly appropriate that communal prayer forms an essential dimension of life in a Catholic school.

Staff and pupils are invited to recognise God’s action in their lives and the life of the school, and in response to express together their needs and those of the whole human family, and to offer thanks for all that is good. (a) Form Time Daily Prayer All members of the school community contribute to this daily prayer. At least twice a year, each Form Class will plan the Daily Collective Worship resource that goes onto SharePoint. The dates for this can be found in the school calendar on SharePoint. A document has been created to assist pupils and staff.

Daily Collective Worship is a prayer resource to be used during registration and then throughout the day with classes if staff choose. It will be accessible to staff though the Staff Portal Homepage on SharePoint, usually titled ‘Monday Prayer’ etc.

Each morning that is not an assembly day, pupils are to lead the class in Daily Collective Worship using the resource from SharePoint. Staff to facilitate this.

The resource is also used in Staff Briefings on Monday and Friday. (b) End of Day Prayer The End of Day Prayer will be shared with staff in the form of a poster to be displayed in their classrooms. The Prayer will change in accordance with the liturgical year. The prayer will be said before pupils leave their period 5 lesson at the end of the day and will begin and end with The Sign of the Cross. (c) Morning Prayer Morning Prayers begin at 8am in the Chapel every Monday to Thursday. We use a daily prayer book specially created for St Cuthbert’s by the Benedictine monks of Ampleforth Abbey. The monks have also provided us with booklets for Advent and Lent.

4.4 Identifying and Celebrating the Liturgical Seasons of the Year The Church, "in the course of the year, . . . unfolds the whole mystery of Christ from his Incarnation and Nativity through his Ascension, to Pentecost and the expectation of the blessed hope of the coming of the Lord" CCC 1194 (SC 102 § 2).

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The annual cycle of the Church’s liturgical year is centred on Christ and, in particular, on how he has made salvation possible for us. The year is, then, a sequence of seasons which brings into focus the various aspects of the one mystery of salvation in Christ, who is present in his Church. Through the Liturgical Year we celebrate the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We make the current Liturgical Season clear to staff and pupils not only through the content of our Liturgies, Celebrations of the Word and Prayer, but through the colour of the banners in the Main Hall, the colouring of our staff calendar and the naming of our school terms (Michaelmas, Epiphany and Easter). (a) Advent ‘Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man.

Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope.…

It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope. ’Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Seek That Which Is Above,1986 Advent preparations at St Cuthbert’s include, but are not limited to: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

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RE class liturgies on the true meaning of Christmas carols RE corridor Jesse tree and external tree with traditional decorations Year 12 General RE ‘I, Daniel Blake’ lessons Year 7 community Christmas cards Charity work during Advent o KS3- CAFOD World Gifts o KS4- People’s Kitchen foodstuffs collection o KS5- Crisis homeless kits to be created RE corridor display- ‘My wish for the world this Christmas’ Advent Act of Kindness calendar Community Carols- staff and pupil choir Carol Service at St Mary’s Cathedral Daily staff emails from ‘Walk with me’ Final day of term Virtual Carol Service Year 13 General RE Carol Service and Liturgy

(b) Christmastide and Epiphany “The wise men point out to us the path of our journey through life. They sought the true Light. As a liturgical hymn of Epiphany which speaks of their experience puts it: “Lumen requirunt lumine”; by following a light, they sought the light. They set out in search of God. Having seen the sign of the star, they grasped its message and set off on a long journey.”

Pope Francis’ homily at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday, January 6th 2015, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

Pupils take part in the ancient ritual of ‘The Chalking of the Door’ and blessing the school. (c) Lent ‘Lent is the autumn of the spiritual life during which we gather fruit to keep us going for the rest of the year.’

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St Francis De Sales During Lent we make the slow ascent to the holy mountain of Easter and as a school community we practice Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Lenten preparations at St Cuthbert’s include, but are not limited to: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Daily Lenten reflections Stations of the Cross Hunger Cloth competition Reflections on ‘The last 7 words’ of Christ Lenten Act of Kindness Calendar Veiling of statues in school Charity work Community outreach Sacrament of Reconciliation

(d) Ash Wednesday When Ash Wednesday falls during term time, it is marked across the whole school. Each year group will take part in a celebration of the Word and then receive ashes from clergy and Catholic staff and Sixth Form students. (e) Paschal Triduum "In this gift Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church the perennial making present of the paschal mystery.

With it he brought about a mysterious “oneness in time” between that Triduum and the passage of the centuries." Pope St John Paul II At the heart of the liturgical year is the celebration of the Paschal Triduum when we remember the saving Passion, death, and resurrection of Christ on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. These three days are what Lent is leading up to and Easter is leading away from.

When Maundy Thursday falls during Term Time, pupils/students will take part in a Celebration of the Word. Pupils/students will be encouraged to attend their parish churches throughout the Triduum. (f) Eastertide Easter is not simply one feast among others, but the "Feast of feasts," the "Solemnity of solemnities," just as the Eucharist is the "Sacrament of sacraments" CCC 1169 The Easter season flows from the Triduum and consists of fifty days of rejoicing and reflecting on what has been celebrated so that one’s own faith is deepened (mystagogy). Forty days into Eastertide, the Church celebrates the Ascension of the Lord, which marks the culmination of the Paschal Mystery. Then on the fiftieth day, the season ends at Pentecost.

During Eastertide the prayer focus of the school is on the resurrected Christ. At the start of every assembly, Mass and Celebration of the Word, the Paschal Candle will be lit to symbolise the Risen Christ. (g) Ordinary Time “Holiness doesn't mean doing extraordinary things, but doing ordinary things with love and faith.” Pope Francis Page 9 of 12

Ordinary Time has two phases: between Christmas and Lent, and after Pentecost to the next Advent. The name Ordinary Time derives from the sense of ‘counted time’ as each Sunday is numbered. The focus of Ordinary Time is the life, mission, and teaching of Jesus as expressed in the three Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which are read in the three-year cycle on Sundays.

Ordinary Time at St Cuthbert’s is anything but ordinary. Through our daily and weekly cycles or prayer and liturgy, alongside our co-curricular outreach, the pupils and students of St Cuthbert’s grow into ‘Great Men.’ When pupils return to school in September, their first unit of work across Years 7-11 is titled ‘How do I become a man for others’ and includes lessons on Catholic Social Teaching, Laudato Si and Fratelli Tutti; the aim of this is to connect pupils to the global Church and provide them with inspiration to change the lives of others.

4.5 Formation The Church's catechetical mission aims to help the faithful of all ages to grow in both human and Christian maturity, enriching the whole of life with the leaven of the Gospel. Consequently, appropriate goals and content will embrace all the faith dimensions of an adult life—for example, understanding and communicating the faith, skills needed for personal growth, the experience of family life, relationships, public service, and concern for the common good. (a) Staff Formation ‘This educational mission entails the ongoing development of the entire potential of every person. It seeks to promote the wellbeing and freedom of every person, which shape the daily life of a Catholic school as a community in which faith is expressed and shared through every aspect of its activity’ Statement from Catholic bishops' conference of England and Wales, May 2000 All new staff will be supported during induction and beyond, so that they fully understand the responsibility they carry within their individual role for leading prayer and liturgy in the school. Any individual training needs will be identified and addressed through training and formation. There will also be the opportunity for whole-staff professional development at least once a year, so that all staff understand the importance of prayer and liturgy and relevant staff are well supported to lead as required.

Staff Formation includes, but is not limited to: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

New Staff CPD on the Catholic Life of the School A weekly reflection with mission from the Headmaster in the Staff Update Several staff briefing presentations on Catholic Life Ongoing quality assurance of Catholic Life Staff retreat opportunities Staff meetings to begin with a prayer

(b) Pupil Formation ‘Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!’

Pope Francis, Christus Vivit (Christ is Alive) Pupil Formation includes, but is not limited to: ▪ ▪

Pope John Paul II Award Fortis Dux Award Page 10 of 12

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Guild of St Stephen Club for Altar Servers in school Participation in the preparation for Liturgies, Celebration of the Word and Prayer

(c) Parent/Carer Formation ‘Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children.’ CCC 2223 Parent/Carer Formation includes, but is not limited to: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

beginning each parental meeting/session with a prayer a weekly reflection with mission from the Headmaster in the Families Update PSHE at Home Ten:Ten RSE Parent Portal

(d) Retreats We aim to offer pupils and staff opportunities to go on retreat. Pupil retreats will take place at the Diocesan Emmaus Youth Village and staff retreats will take place at Ampleforth Abbey.

5. Statement of Requirement The law requires all maintained Catholic schools to provide an act of daily collective worship (prayer and liturgy) for all pupils, including those in the sixth form (Section 70, 1988 Education Act) that is in accordance with the rites, practices, disciplines, and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church (School Standards and Framework Act 1998, schedule 20; Instrument of Government, clause 2). Academies in England are required by their funding agreement and Articles of Association to comply with similar requirements (The Mainstream Academy and Free School: Supplemental Funding Agreement, December 2020; Model Articles for Catholic Academies, February 2019).

The law requires all maintained schools to recognise and respect that parents have the legal right to withdraw their children up to the age of 16 from prayer and liturgy (School Standards and Framework Act 1998, s.71(1A)). Sixth-form pupils can choose to withdraw themselves from prayer and liturgy (School Standards and Framework Act 1998, s.71(1B)).

The school’s provision for prayer and liturgy will fulfil pupils’ entitlement to experience the range of liturgical treasures of the Church, including a shared repertoire of prayers and liturgical music with which pupils in the school will be familiar.

Prayer and liturgy are not designated curriculum time. In the context of the Catholic school, this means that times of prayer and liturgy are not considered to be part of the allocation of curriculum time for Religious Education.

6. Responsibility (a) Governance The governors, as guardians of the Catholic school’s life and mission, have a responsibility to ensure that: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

prayer and liturgy are central to the Catholic life of the school and therefore are in line with the guidance set out by the Prayer and Liturgy Directory there is a named person(s) who is responsible for prayer and liturgy in the school (the Prayer and Liturgy Coordinator) the prayer and liturgy policy is updated regularly and shared with all stakeholders there is a budget for prayer and liturgy that reflects its centrality to the life of a Catholic school.

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(b) Headmaster The Headmaster, as the spiritual leader of the school as a Catholic community, ensures that: ▪ ▪ ▪

prayer and liturgy are central to the Catholic life of the school and therefore are in line with the guidance set out by the Prayer and Liturgy Directory they work in partnership with the leader(s) for prayer and liturgy those responsible for prayer and liturgy in the school have been given appropriate training and formation to ensure that all guidance is followed and adhered to there are suitable resources for prayer and liturgy in the school

(c) Prayer & Liturgy Co-ordinator Those responsible for prayer and liturgy ensure that: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

prayer and liturgy are central to the Catholic life of the school and therefore are in line with the guidance set out by the Prayer and Liturgy Directory there is an Annual Plan of Provision for prayer and liturgy across the school year which identifies liturgical seasons and key celebrations, as well as opportunities for the celebration of the Sacraments there is daily planned prayer for all pupils, appropriate to age and ability, as outlined in the Prayer and Liturgy Directory pupils are supported in their liturgical formation to take an active role in the planning, preparation, and delivery of prayer and liturgy according to their age and capacity, and in a manner which facilitates their progressive participation resources to support the planning of prayer and liturgy are appropriate and readily available to staff and pupils induction on prayer and liturgy takes place for new members of staff as required staff have access to effective training and formation opportunities quality assurance of prayer and liturgy take place regularly and feed back into planning for future liturgies monitoring of prayer and liturgy is reported to the Headmaster and governing body to support whole-school development and the Catholic life of the school there is collaboration with local clergy and parishes liaison with the Diocesan Advisory Service and others is maintained to ensure they keep updated with best practice.

7. Resourcing Prayer and liturgy are central to the school’s understanding of itself as a Catholic school, and this is reflected in the annual budget allocation and available resources, including staff time, chaplaincy provision, and dedicated spaces for prayer and liturgy. The Catholic character of the school is reflected in religious artefacts and images on display throughout the building. Dedicated spaces for prayer and liturgy will be furnished and maintained as such, and updated to reflect the Church’s liturgical season. Staff training and formation costs will be funded separately to ensure that all staff are able to fulfil their responsibility to contribute to the prayer and liturgical life of the school.

8. Monitoring and Review Monitoring and evaluation of the quality and impact of prayer and liturgy will take place regularly, and at least annually, and involve all key stakeholders: pupils, parents, staff, clergy, and governors. Areas for development will be identified and issues raised will be actioned and evidenced as appropriate. This policy is monitored by the Prayer and Liturgy Co-ordinator. It is evaluated and reviewed by the Headmaster, members of Leadership Team and the Prayer and Liturgy Co-ordinator with the whole school teaching staff and Governors every two years.

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