Spirituality Guidelines Lichfield Diocese Board of Education 2015

Transcription

1 Educatin 1. Spirituality: The Law Spirituality Guidelines Lichfield Dicese Bard f Educatin 2015 The realm f the spiritual is referred t in many educatinal dcuments. The 1988 Educatin Act describes a balanced and bradly based curriculum as ne which prmtes the spiritual, mral, cultural, mental and physical develpment f pupils. Wrship is defined as a "spiritual activity" in Circular 1/94. This guidance is still Statutry in 2011 (althugh the religius educatin has been updated) The 1993 Natinal Curriculum Cuncil discussin paper "Spiritual & Mral Develpment" (adpted als by QCDA) remains the latest guidance n definitins related t the spiritual. It describes aspects f spiritual develpment, steps t spiritual develpment and characteristics f spiritual develpment. It als recgnises the valuable part played by the spiritual dimensin f schl life. This is recgnised in OFSTED and central t Church Inspectin (SIAMS). All religius educatin agreed syllabuses refer t the spiritual dimensin and its value. In ur wn Aided Schls Dcument (2006), ne f the three Attainment Targets fr Religius Educatin is "Persnal Understanding and Respnse" - fr pupils t be enabled t understand their wn spirituality and uniqueness, and be encuraged t respnd t ultimate questins and values in relatin t Christian faith in Gd. Althugh the 2003 gvernment Every Child Matters agenda Be Healthy, Stay Safe, Enjy and Achieve, Make a psitive cntributin, Enjy ecnmic wellbeing, left ut the spiritual area f learning, (the ratinal being that the spiritual permeated all ther areas) the Dicese have encuraged schls t include it explicitly. Our Christian perspective puts Be Spiritual as the first f six pririties, with the Christian value belief emanating frm it. Spirituality shuld be managed, articulated and accunted fr in the life f the schl cmmunity. A written plicy is best practice t articulate set bundaries within the spiritual dimensin, s that the spiritual health and safety f ur pupils is assured. Spirituality is always cntained within the bundaries f the Christian faith in a Church schl, which legally cmplies with the schl s Trust Deed. The Christian faith values the child as unique, created in the image f Gd. We believe that Gd is gd, Gd is light and Gd always vercmes darkness. The life wrk and teaching f His sn Jesus shwed us the way t live and gave us hpe thrugh His resurrectin fr eternal life thrugh faith in Him. NB Any rganisatin wishing t use schl premises must als adhere t the schl s Trust Deed. This means that activities which have their rt in New Age spiritualities, Satanism, the darker side f life where cntrl & hiddenness may be prevalent, Eastern religin r any belief that des nt acknwledge Gd thrugh Jesus Christ are NOT apprpriate n Church schl premises. 1

2 Educatin 2. Spirituality: A Ratinale Spirituality has t d with us as peple - bdy, mind and spirit. Within spirituality lies the heart f all religius expressin and belief. It is nt generally bund by any agreed definitin, but in ur Church schls we set bundaries within the explratin f Christian spirituality. In rder t cmmunicate, we use language t try t describe it: It is the develpment f that awareness that there is smething mre t life than meets the eye, smething mre than the material, smething mre than the bvius, smething t wnder at, smething t respnd t" (Terence Cpley) It manifests in the fllwing aspects: beliefs a sense f awe, wnder and mystery experiencing feelings f transcendence a search fr meaning and purpse self-knwledge relatinships creativity feelings and emtins. The ntin that pupils will develp spiritually raises the expectatin that this is an area in which pupils make prgress. All this is set within the bundaries f Christian experience in a Church schl. Steps t spiritual develpment might include: recgnising the existence f thers as independent frm neself becming aware f and reflecting n experience questining and explring the meaning f experience understanding and evaluating a range f pssible respnses and interpretatins develping persnal views and insights empathising with the experiences f thers applying the insights gained with increasing degrees f perceptin t ne s wn life and the lives f thers 2

3 Educatin 3. Spirituality in the Classrm a) The spiritual develpment f pupils implies the need fr a variety f learning experiences which prvide pprtunities fr pupils t: discuss matters f persnal cncern develp relatinships with adults and peers develp a sense f belnging t a church schl cmmunity, with its distinctive eths be challenged by explring the beliefs and values f thers, the schl s identity, whilst deepening their knwledge and understanding f their wn faith r beliefs discuss religius and philsphical questins in a respectful way understand why peple reach certain decisins n religius and mral issues, and hw thse decisins affect their lives understand hw the schl s Christian character determines its values and expectatins experience what is aesthetically challenging experience silence and reflectin develp a reverence fr Gd and the schl s rituals and practices which hnur Gd thrugh Jesus Christ b) The very recgnitin f pupils' unique suls and spirits is sufficient t enable the explratin f the spiritual area f experience t take place, thus fstering spiritual develpment. Sul is a persn's emtins, desires, persnality, traits, intellectual abilities, sensualities. Spirit is that inner instinct, that innermst being which searches fr meaning beynd the material and can be in relatinship with Gd As spiritual develpment cannt be seen in islatin frm persnal develpment, time spent n this will als affect inter-persnal relatinships within the classrm and as a result cntribute t the psitive eths f the schl. Fr spirituality is nt nly abut Christian prayer and wrship; it is als abut knwing and being urselves, being aware f and caring fr thers, and abut knwing the wrld arund us. Thus spiritual develpment means being cncerned with a child's inner grwth, with his/her emtinal grwth, his/her understanding f and acceptance f himself/herself. Spiritual grwth always results in the psitive grwth f the whle persn. c) As in any ther area f the curriculum, children need t acquire skills, explre experiences and sensitivities and assimilate knwledge within the spiritual area. This will be integral t the learning prcess and delivered in a variety f methdlgies: crss-curricular in a tpic web themed thrugh the creative curriculum as the fcus in sme acts f cllective wrship as a dimensin in RE The art f the teacher is t be aware f ptential spiritual experiences withut always insisting that they are verbalised r written dwn - lest they are killed stne dead! 3

4 Educatin ci) Skills T gain access and respnd t these experiences, children need t acquire certain skills Reflectin Stilling and silence Inner awareness Listening t neself Questining, searching fr meaning Ability t cmmunicate and express feelings and spiritual sensitivities Interpretatin f feelings and behaviur Empathy fr thers as feeling, thinking peple Awareness f Gd: Father, Sn and Hly Spirit Skills take time t acquire and need t be practised. Frtunately, mst f these skills can be practised thrughut the whle curriculum prvided the teacher gives recgnitin t their value and allws them space. Fr this reasn, t map certain f the reflective skills in a particular curriculum cntent ensures that time and space will be fund. Fr example: Classrm Cllective Wrship n a weekly basis is an excellent setting fr a quiet, reflective apprach t the spiritual experiences f prayer, wrship, ritual and cmmunicatin with Gd. This can be explred in such a way as t value the individual's respnse and give space fr their spirit, his/her inner awareness, their capacity t intuit, feel and recgnise the sacred, the hly, the divine. 'It's OK t be me' is a guiding principle, s that each child can be affirmed in his/her persnal, spiritual search and the fllwing spiritual rights f every child are valued: Initiatin int the spiritual heritage f the culture in which ne is brn. Expressin f ne's wn spiritual belief withut discriminatin. Chice t deepen, dubt, alter ne's spiritual cmmitment. Supprt cmplementary t ne's spiritual develpment. Prtectin frm spiritual damage and disability. cii) Spiritual Sensitivities and Capacity Teachers als need t fster the spiritual sensitivities and capacities f their pupils A sense f awe, wnder and the mysteries f life A sense f transcendence and an awareness f there being smething mre t things than meets the eye A sense f Creatr Gd An imaginative apprach t the wrld A reflective attitude t the natural wrld A sense f transience and change A sense f pattern, sequence and rder A spirit f enquiry and pen mindedness An awareness that life invlves mral chices between gd and bad An awareness f paradx and unease A sense f life's jys and achievements A sense f meaning, purpse and directin An awareness f the dark side f life, f suffering, pain, decay and lss 4

5 Educatin An awareness f cmmunity - its demands, values, rituals and celebratins A sense f thers as feeling, thinking persns An increasing ability t empathise with thers The capacity t empathise and respnd t religius activities such as wrship, prayer, cmmunin, sacrifice, pilgrimage The capacity t empathise with the faith dimensin f religius adherents respnding t the wrking ut f that faith in the way adherents lives The capacity t be still The capacity t be aware f ne's wn inner life and t reflect The capacity t be aware f ne's wn uniqueness, f the wrth f ne's self and f ne's identity A sense f the sacred, the hly, Gd A sense f the Trinity Gd as Father, Sn and Hly Spirit An increasing awareness f Gd in ne's wn life and in the life f thers The increasing ability t questin ne's beliefs and actins, and thse f thers, in a search fr meaning The ability t cmmunicate respnses and feelings with increasing cnfidence and self-esteem ciii) Whle Curriculum Pupils shuld assimilate relevant knwledge frm the whle curriculum Religius Educatin and Wrship Fr sme peple the terms 'religius' and 'spiritual' are synnymus. This wuld lead them t think that ding RE is ding the spiritual. In the same way 'wrship' having expressin in many religius rituals als is the spiritual. In ne sense this is true. Fr the spiritual search is at the heart f all religius experience and activity. The experiential apprach t teaching Religius Educatin reflects this in its three basic principles: 1. t take seriusly the inner experience f the religius believer 2. t enable pupils t have a practical and humane understanding f the religius impulse 3. t encurage increased respect fr persnal inwardness and awareness. Thus all areas f the religius and wrship curricula shuld be permeated by a search fr persnal understanding and respnse, s that pupils are "enabled t understand their wn spirituality" (Attainment Target 1- Lichfield Dicese RE handbk 2006). Hwever, the spiritual is nt nly expressed in religius terms; it has much wider bundaries which can permeate all human experience and understanding. S respnse t the spiritual can be seen in: a heightened awareness f a sunset a feeling f inner space a celebratin f wrthwhile activities in schl a feeling f lss r sadness at sme tragic news an identificatin with nature's life pulse 5

6 Educatin a mtivatin t a life f caring fr thers as well as a religius interpretatin such as an act f adratin t Gd a respnse t a cvenant relatinship with Gd a cmmitment t a religius rder belnging t a Church cmmunity adherence t religius rules and standards f behaviur In ur wrk with children an pen respnse t the spiritual is necessary s that a child's integrity is nt damaged. This des mean that there is the pssibility f the whle realm f gd and evil being addressed. Undubtedly children will bring int the classrm gd and evil experiences and the latter need careful handling s as t alleviate fear and enable psitive reflectins as a cunter balance. In an atmsphere f trust, children will share their darkest thughts. This can nly be helpful in their search fr truth and a faith t live by. Nt allwing space fr this will nly push it int the backgrund, where it may find expressin in practices which we wuld find mrally and spiritually ffensive. Reflectin and Meditatin (a strategy fr handling the whle realm f spiritual experience) may be given space in classrm cllective wrship, fr example, r a curriculum RE unit n 'Prayer' r 'Inner Jurneys' where such experiences may be shared. It is wrth nting, hwever, that in a Church schl it is imprtant that the fcus fr reflectin and meditatin in a wrship setting, where we are seeking t enable pupils t respnd t Gd thrugh Jesus Christ, is Christian. A 'Diary f Reflectin' may be an excellent written respnse t such reflective activities. The fllwing preface t such a diary prduced by Michael Beesley gives credence t the children's spiritual search in a psitive, educative way. Yur "Diary f Reflectin" is an pprtunity nce a week t stp yur busy life fr a few mments and think abut sme f the things which make us happy, sad, srry, grateful, hpeful, amazed, ambitius, prud, cncerned and inspired. If yu believe in Gd, yu may like t reflect that, thrugh these weekly thughts, Gd may be helping yu t discver the mst imprtant directins and values fr yur life. If yu d nt have a belief in Gd, yu may like t see hw these thughts can build up a picture f the things that are really imprtant t yu and are helping t shape the kind f persn yu are becming. (Stilling 2003 Salisbury Dicese) Thus all ur wrk in Religius Educatin may cntribute t spiritual grwth and brings a mre religius cntent t spirituality. Religius Educatin can shw children the many ways peple have 'met' Gd and hw they have respnded t that meeting. Wrship shuld fster a child's sense f Gd r at least f there being an 'therness' t life. But fr that t happen we need t ensure we are: Prviding gd experiences f public and cllective wrship either in church r in schl. Teaching techniques f relaxatin and stilling, including breathing and psture, s giving children the skill f creating quiet and space fr Gd and within themselves. Teaching techniques f meditatin / cntemplatin, f giving attentin t candles, flwers, Christian icns, t shw children that it is pssible t find Gd in the wrld. 6

7 Educatin Expressing a cncern fr thers by the way ur prayers are utward lking and by the way we seek t invlve children imaginatively in the cncerns f thers, s deepening their sensitivity t thers. We als need t help pupils: T be able t help them think abut Gd and explre religius ideas abut Gd. T give practice in praying, and cmpsing their wn prayers. T give t children experience in a variety f prayer techniques and frms, such as the liturgy. We want them t explre the spiritual fr themselves, t have the skills t wrk ut what suits them, nt simply t fllw a single pattern. This means giving careful thught t class prayers as well as cllective wrship and ensuring that they experience a variety f appraches and techniques. The Whle Curriculum All srts f curriculum areas fster spiritual grwth. This was recgnised by the Dfe when it identified spirituality as a crss-curricular dimensin. The fllwing sectin cntains material drawn frm 'Spirituality, Prayer and Wrship' (Durham Dicesan Bard f Educatin) The Artistic and the Spiritual RE has ften been linked t the humanities, and viewed as the study f yet anther dimensin f human experience, alngside histry, gegraphy, mral educatin r persnal and scial life skills. But RE has, r ught t have, clser links with the creative and imaginative subjects f the curriculum, with art, music, drama and English, and this is particularly true with the 'spiritual'. If we want children t have an awareness f the wrld arund them, t be aware f beauty, pattern and design, t experience mments f awe and wnder and t be able t respnd t and reflect n thse experiences f Gd's creatin, then art prvides a tl t achieve this. It can prvide a language, r rather techniques fr expressing feelings, and it can prvide examples f hw thers have cnveyed mds, feelings and reactins. Faith is cncerned with the inner life, and attempting t make that inner life visible and the creative prcess cntributes t spiritual develpment by enabling children t pay clse attentin t the wrld. Thrugh a sharpened visual sense they learn t see much mre and t see with greater insight than they therwise wuld. Fr them, trees which were rather generalised perceptins becme bjects f clse bservatin and significance; they becme persnal and special t the child as viewer f them. The flight f a bird, the frm f a sea shell, r twisted rts f a tree, all have aesthetic qualities which visual literacy makes it pssible t experience. Part f becming visually aware is fr children t discver the enjyment f being able t see with the eye f the artist wh is awake t the appearance f the surrunding wrld. By develping the ability t see in far mre specific ways, children can begin t disregard what is merely superficial and allw themselves t becme attentive t the mre subtle qualities and changes f frm which are present in everything their eyes and minds rest n. And we might add "and s allw themselves t becme mre attentive t Gd". Art can als cntribute by lking at, and invlving children in, the artistic utpurings f religin. The study and painting f icns. The detailed examinatin f 'great masters' fr the beliefs expressed. Calligraphy is imprtant in Islam and has been imprtant in Judaism and Christianity. 7

8 Educatin English and Spirituality Creative Writing English cntributes thrugh creative writing and perhaps particularly thrugh petry, thrugh enabling children t explre their wn feelings, t respnd t these and t the wrld arund them. Stry can help them enter int the wrlds and minds f thers, and int situatins which the children might nt therwise be able t explre, and s cntribute t the understanding f, and empathy fr, thers. English techniques ffer ways f explring and finding the truth in parables, riddles, flktales, simile, metaphr and petry. All these can pen children's eyes t the imprtance f 'nn-scientific truth' and nn-cgnitive ways f knwing. Petry Petry ften requires the same clse and careful bservatin f bjects as des art - a pint made many times by writers n children's petry. Fictin The use f imaginative fictin and writing t stimulate children's imaginatin als feeds spiritual develpment. It pens children's eyes t the pssibility f the transcendent, and t an awareness f there being smething mre t things than meets the eye. Stries such as "The Bngleweed" by Helen Cresswell (Puffin) pint children t mystery and the unexpected in the wrld, and carry the message that we need t be pen t the wrld and t its many pssibilities and t its hiddenness! Emtinal Grwth and Spirituality It has been suggested that persnal frictin is necessary fr spiritual grwth, that we grw as peple nly thrugh the prblems and difficulties f relating t thers. S that the wrk that ges n in schl explring relatinships, ffering children skills in cmmunicatin f thughts and ideas, cping with aggressin, helping children t prperly assert themselves, enabling them t listen t thers with attentin, and abve all helping them t be aware f and able t cmmunicate their wn feelings - all these help children t develp emtinally, t develp a sense f their wn self wrth and develp their ability t relate t thers. Mral Grwth and Spirituality Many f the traditinal implicit RE themes, such as carers, helpers, etc. cntribute t the grwth f a sense f respnsibility twards thers. Science and Spirituality The explratin f the wrld thrugh science, the bservatin f familiar materials and events in their immediate envirnment culd be undertaken cldly and factually. But we culd and shuld als seek t engage the children imaginatively and evke frm them their persnal respnse rather than simply requiring a scientific reprting f what is bserved. What, fr instance, wuld be an adequate descriptin f a rainbw? One which listed the clurs f a rainbw? One which spke nly f the refractin f light? Or ne which als spke f its beauty and pwer t evke wnder? Similar links with Gegraphy, Histry, Technlgy and Maths can als be made. In PE we can celebrate the wnder f ur human bdies and sense f achievement when a new skill is learnt. Other languages enable us t perceive the variety and cmplexity f wrld-wide cmmunicatins and cultures. What happens in schl can nly be a beginning and we can nly pint children in the right directin and take them a little way twards maturity and be alngside their wn spiritual jurney. But hpefully they will have acquired ability t lk at life, the universe and everything in it as a means t finding Gd fr themselves if they wish it. 8

9 Educatin 4. Spirituality in ur Church Schls Church Schls prvide us with even greater pprtunities fr spiritual develpment because f their link with a wrshipping cmmunity. The fllwing list describes principles t ensure the schl eths and its distinctive Christian character are fstering spiritual grwth. The whle eths f the schl shuld reflect mutual care and cncern between staff, pupils, parents and gvernrs, and s n. In this srt f envirnment pupils are encuraged t grw in self-awareness and have n need t be defensive. The philsphy f the schl shuld be grunded in the gspel, a deliberate attempt being made t link the cncerns f the Christian gspel with the life f the schl. The ttal curriculum shuld be cncerned with the spiritual develpment f the child. It is nt just the cncern f RE teachers r f RE lessns. The spiritual element f the curriculum can be likened t the cement in the walls f a building, hlding everything tgether. The schl shuld be a centre f distinct excellence, an excellence that des nt just relate t what is academic but t all aspects f the schl's life. The schl shuld act as what the Natinal Sciety's Green Paper "A Future in Partnership" calls an ecumenical nursery which builds a sensitivity t difference and the faiths f thers. The schl shuld prvide varied pprtunities fr experiencing awe and wnder, and jining in celebratin, and thankfulness. This is nt restricted t acts f wrship but can be part f the pupils' experience acrss the curriculum. The schl shuld prvide a link between the church and the cmmunity s that spirituality is nt seen as separate frm the scial cntext. A church schl shuld present wrship nt just as a human activity carried ut by believers but als as a divine activity in which Gd is present and cmmunicates with His peple. Nt nly shuld the whle curriculum be cncerned with the spiritual develpment f the pupils but the teachers themselves shuld be aware that they t are n a spiritual jurney and share the challenge and excitement with the pupils. Practically speaking these can be wrked ut thrugh ensuring: The RE curriculum is knwn by all the schl cmmunity and highlighted and given time in INSET planning with the apprpriate resurces. The acts f daily cllective wrship are valued in their variety t prvide fr spiritual grwth thrugh the fstering f sensitivities, capacities and skills relating t the spiritual area f experience. Wrship traditins are valued and explred as apprpriate t the children's backgrunds, interests and abilities, starting with a living witness t the 'Christian faith'. 9

10 The spiritual dimensin, giving recgnitin t affective respnses in the learning prcess, is mapped in tpic themes, acrss the curriculum, s that there is 'space fr the spirit'. The 'hidden' curriculum f the schl (schl eths) bears witness t the fact that educatin cannt and must nt be value-free. The Christian value f a church schl must be seen in practice thrugh staff relatinships, pupil/staff relatinships, relatinships with the cmmunity, thrugh standards f behaviur within the schl, thrugh an integrated apprach t the learning prcesses by which the curriculum is delivered. Educatin The prfessinal develpment ffered t teachers heightens their awareness that the develpment f spirituality acrss the curriculum is fundamental t the develpment f the cmplete child. The curriculum supprts and gives legitimacy t: the explratin f feelings the develpment f attitudes the develpment f ideas the inspiring f the imaginatin the faith witness f believers the spiritual search In the learning prcess: each subject area asks pupils t cnsider specific questins abut values pupils are asked t questin hw they receive impressins, e.g. visually, lgically, linguistically (what defects r limitatins are there in visin, lgic and language?) pupils are encuraged t think abut the prcess f habit frmatin, gd and bad pupils' inner experiences (feelings, intuitins, respnses) are dealt with in ways which give them value and legitimacy pupils are led t questin assumptins abut what a persn is and what gives a persn value pure bservatin is encuraged s that pupils are nt always lking fr "the answer" but smetimes simply lking stillness and silence are encuraged and given value as well as activity children are encuraged and given supprt fr innvatin and creativity If these principles are brne in mind, and made real in practice, pupils will experience religin in its prper cntext f caring and lve, and in s ding grw spiritually in a psitive and supprtive envirnment. If Gd is everywhere, and nly has t be lked fr, then we must help children t lk. If Gd dwells wherever man lets Him in, then ur task is t help children t find Gd in every part f life s that they can, if they wish, let Him in 10

11 Educatin In additin pupils will be acquiring integrity f persnal values, having explred thse presented t them via the many relatinships that make up schl life. It is pssible t articulate sme persnal characteristics typical f spiritually develped peple: Gentle: They display a sensitive, thughtful, caring apprach t ther peple, t their wn needs and t the csms in general. They are ppsed t a ruthless, explitative, careless apprach t life. They act firmly but with kindness and have a due sense f what is pssible and needed. Gentleness des nt imply weakness. Lving: Fr many, the key spiritual characteristic in the New Testament, summarised in 1.Cr.13, in which it is stressed that, whatever else we may be, r d, withut lve we are nthing. Detached: Having a balanced apprach t life; wrking skilfully with the currents f life in rder t achieve spiritual gals. Hpeful: Having an ptimistic view f life, seen by many as a vital human respnse t life. Alert t Life's Mysteries: Being alert and pen. Reflectin upn the cmplexity and vastness f reality. Awareness f smething beynd what we can at present achieve and explain. Hlistic Outlk: Being aware f the intercnnectedness f all things, f the unity within diversity; f patterns within the whle. Brad Minded: Able t see things in perspective is aware f, and takes accunt f, a wide range f relevant cnsideratins that bear n ne's thught and behaviur. Accepting: Acceptance can mean submissin t the will f Gd r, in nn-religius parlance, accepting situatins with gd grace. Acceptance is nt a spiritual virtue in relatin t thse things ne culd r shuld attempt t mdify. Energetic: Having persnal qualities t carry thrugh required tasks; actin mtivated by awareness and insight. Curageus: Having a spirited apprach t life. Curage is as basic and imprtant t life as hpe. Grateful: Displaying an attitude f jy and humility with respect t the gd things in life. Integrated: Integrated in bdy, mind and spirit and in the varius dimensins and cmmitments f life. Aware: Awake', 'enlightened'; striving t achieve insight and deeper understanding. (Adapted frm 'Educatin fr Spirituality' Clive Beck, Interchange 17/2, 1986 Ontari) 11

12 Educatin 5. Spirituality in Inspectin. In the cnsultatin paper fr the framewrk fr the Inspectin f Schls we are given the fllwing criteria fr evaluatin f a pupil's spiritual develpment. It shuld be judged in terms f his/her respnse t: cllective wrship pprtunities fr discussin f and reflectin abut philsphical and religius questins and the nature f spiritual experience pprtunities fr aesthetic experience Evidence is drawn frm: bservatin and discussin with pupils abut their beliefs, understandings, feelings and values Inspectrs will als be judging the nature and quality f the schl's prvisin f cllective acts f wrship, religius educatin and supprt fr pupils, and pprtunities in the curriculum fr reflective and aesthetic experience and the discussin f philsphical, spiritual and mral issues. It is striking that judgments made by inspectrs fall within the affective dmain, cncentrating n respnses t the spiritual dimensin fund within certain experiences prvided by the schl. It wuld be all t easy t set up benchmarks f develpment assuming every pupil travels the same pathway, withut ensuring space was left fr the affective aspects and respnses t the transcendent, the tuch f Gd, the Hly Spirit r a sudden revelatin f Gd thrugh Jesus Christ r thrugh the natural wrld, which may well change the pathway vernight. In ther wrds, if we culd cntain the spiritual we might end up by lsing it. S let us rejice that this area f experience is: a different way f knwing a different way f becming and enable pupils t grw in their awareness f this "smething mre", ever pen t ther pssibilities f the transcendent, revelatins f Gd and, fr sme, cmmitment t Christ, where all gd Christian educatin pints. SIAMS (Statutry Inspectin f Anglican and Methdist Schls) reflects these issues in its framewrk fr inspectin and its Evaluatin Schedule Sept 13 (g t the Natinal Sciety website fr all dcuments related t inspectin). It is acknwledged that church schl inspectin will always cntain an element f subjectivity, based n an inspectr s analysis f schl dcumentatin (essentially the schl SEF- self-evaluatin frm), ability t frm quality relatinships with the schl very quickly n the day f the inspectin, and inevitability n the way the inspectr applies his/her previus experience f pupils and church schls t the inspectin in hand. Hwever, there are grade descriptrs which allw fr a best fit judgement t take place fr the fur key areas in a SIAMS inspectin: the effectiveness f the leadership and management f the schl as a church schl the quality f cllective wrship n the whle cmmunity (a discrete spiritual activity) the effectiveness f religius educatin (at its heart the spiritual search f mankind) the impact f the distinctive Christian character f the schl in meeting the needs f the learners (f which their spiritual, persnal and learning needs are paramunt) 12

13 Wrship judgements are made n the pupils attitudes, their ability t be inspired, affirmed and t grw spiritually frm what is ffered in wrship and their ability t engage with the wrship f the parish church. Indeed this is quite a challenge fr ur Church schls, where the nature f wrship is by law Christian with an Anglican denminatinal fcus. Christian belief in creatin, the incarnatin, the resurrectin and in Jesus as Gd s sn and Gd as Father, Sn and Hly Spirit (Trinity) and its expressin in wrship is a vital link t be made. Prayer shuld be central t the life f the schl the air it breathes. Educatin The imprtance f regular schl evaluatin n the fur main aspects f being a Church schl cannt be under-estimated. The vice f the pupils, staff, parents and gvernrs needs t be heard, s that develpment planning is accurate and spiritual grwth maximised. 6. Spirituality in Dcumentatin Having a plicy which clearly defines the schl s apprach t spirituality, its ratinale and management f this area f experience is vital fr cherent implementatin in the schl. This plicy can be in the same frmat as ther schl plicies, and needs t have sectins n: Legal requirements ( sectin 1) Links t the general principle / missin statement f the schl Schl s ratinale fr spirituality / aims f spirituality* Current practice (a whle schl task) Management f this dimensin (a whle schl task) Mnitring f spirituality (a whle schl task) Areas fr develpment (these may align t the latest SIAMS inspectin reprt) * These culd be selected frm the fllwing: t fster the spiritual develpment f each pupil, regardless f age, ability, sex r cultural backgrund t fster reflectin and stillness t fster a reverential attitude t Gd t encurage imaginatin, creativity and a sense that there is 'mre t life than meets the eye' t fster empathy with thers as feeling, thinking individuals t shw hw imprtant beliefs are t adherents and the influence they have n behaviur and lifestyle t fster a sense f meaning, purpse and directin in life t affirm the value f Christian spirituality as an expressin and revelatin f Gd t share the Christian stry t encunter the Christian witness f believers t respnd t Christian festivals, rituals and symbls t prvide a cntext f faith, security and lving relatinships t fster each child's spiritual search t affirm the value f Christian belief As s many f these areas are whle-schl in nature it is imprtant that time is given s that everyne in the schl cmmunity wns this plicy and is clear n their prfessinal respnsibility t deliver it 13

14 Educatin Appendix 1 Plicy Statement n New Age Thinking fr Church f England Schls & Academies Preamble: Church Schls and Academies as bth Distinctively Christian and Inclusive In cnsidering an apprach t New Age philsphies it is first imprtant t remember the purpse f Church f England schls. This is t deliver an excellent educatin within a cntext that is bth distinctively Christian but als inclusive f the cmmunity within which they are situated. Church schls must be inclusive. They were funded t prvide an educatin fr all in the neighburing lcality. The Church f England parish system means that church and schl can wrk tgether in serving and reaching ut t all in the lcal cmmunity, nt nly Christians, but als thse f ther faith r f nne. There are many areas f shared values and beliefs between faiths and wrldviews that can prvide a starting pint fr understanding and cntact. Our schls shuld be psitive in the way in which they relate t the diversity f faith and culture that nw characterises much f ur sciety, seeking t build bridges f mutual understanding, and s help t develp chesive cmmunities in which the schl plays an imprtant part. Being inclusive des nt, hwever, mean cmprmising n key Christian teaching and belief. Jesus Himself, while seeming t accept and teach all that He met, did nt cndne the misuse f the Temple r the hypcrisy f the Pharisees, but rather reacted with anger. Christians, in fllwing His example, shuld always cntinue t shw His lve and acceptance t the peple with whm they cme int cntact, but nt t accept beliefs r behaviurs which are directly ppsed t their wn cre beliefs. Schls must be distinctive in the way they teach and reflect the Christian faith, as it is this that distinguishes them frm thers. The fundatins, eths statement and trust deeds, which determine church schl status, state that the schl shuld preserve and develp its religius character in accrdance with the principles f the Church at parish and dicesan level. While the schl aims t serve its cmmunity by prviding educatin f the highest quality this shuld be dne within the cntext f Christian belief and practice. The schl shuld encurage an understanding f the meaning and significance f faith and prmte Christian values thrugh the experience and example it ffers all its pupils, while nt seeking t indctrinate r frce its beliefs n anyne. The fundamental distinctive Christian belief is that in a triune Gd. This is summarised n the Church f England s wn website ( as Gd understd and knwn as Father, Sn and Hly Spirit. 14

15 Educatin Father Sn Hly Spirit Gd is lve, caring fr creatin and fr every human being as Gd's belved child. Gd is as he has revealed himself t be in the histrical persn f Jesus Christ. Jesus' life, death and resurrectin hlds the key t knwing and lving Gd, and t making sense f life, befre and after death. Gd is alive, lving and active tday, inspiring faith, justice and truth, sustaining the life f the wrld, giving spiritual gifts t the church and bearing his spiritual fruit in the wrld - changed lives and a transfrmed sciety. Christians believe that this Gd existed befre, and still exists separately frm, his creatin althugh he chses t be actively invlved within it. The earth is part f this creatin and humans are unique in that they are made in Gd s wn image, and therefre able t have a persnal relatinship with him. This gives each individual particular wrth. The rest f creatin is f great value, and humanity has a Gd-given respnsibility t care fr it. The Bible is recgnised as the key resurce fr understanding and teaching abut the reality f this life in a relatinship with Gd and explains Gd s bjective standards fr right and wrng n which church schls can build their eths and values. It is within this cntext f inclusivity but als distinctive Christian eths that church schls shuld apprach New Age teaching. The New Age Mvement The New Age Mvement is nt ne unified faith but encmpasses a number f ideas, beliefs and philsphies. The name derives frm the belief that the new millennium cincides with the end f the astrlgical Age f Pisces, equated with Christianity: and the beginning f the Age f Aquarius, an age f harmny, light, lve and understanding, a perid f universal truth. New Age fllwers believe that established authrity, including that f the Christian church, has ften failed t deliver hpe, peace and prsperity, and s alternatives are needed. Ideally the New Age will be a utpia in which there is an end t wars, disease, hunger, pllutin, and pverty. Gender, racial, religius and ther frms f discriminatin will cease. Peple's allegiance t their tribe r natin will be replaced by a cncern fr the entire wrld and its peple. New Age philsphies are very diverse, althugh there is cnsiderable mutual understanding between grups. Mst incrprate the belief that the spiritual is present in all living things. This spiritual is derived frm a single surce f divine energy that may be identified with Mther Earth, wh nurtures all thse wh exist n her planet, althugh there may be ther spiritual beings that guide, supprt r hinder. This belief leads naturally t the cncept f the divinity f the individual, meaning that all are in sme way gds. Gd is nt revealed in a sacred text r fund in a remte heaven; but rather can be discvered within the self and thrughut the entire universe. All humanity - indeed all life - is thus spiritually intercnnected, participating in the same energy. This gives great imprtance t the need fr peple t unite t preserve the health f the planet, and take eclgical respnsibility, as humanity s fate is inextricably linked with that f the Earth s. New Age teaching cmbines aspects f mst wrld religins, including Christianity, especially the Celtic traditin. Many accept the imprtance f reincarnatin, meditatin and persnal karma, drawn frm Hindu and Buddhist thught, as well as strands f Chinese and Japanese 15

16 Educatin philsphy. Indeed, a fundamental belief is that, since all is gd, then nly ne reality exists, and all religins are simply different paths t that ultimate reality. This anticipates the evlutin and acceptance f a new synchrnised universal religin that cntains elements f all current faiths. New Age beliefs and practices d nt nly derive frm within the plurality f established wrld religins, but als draw n ideas that riginate in csmlgy, astrlgy, estericism, alternative medicine, freemasnery, paganism and the ccult. Many relate clsely t the mystical Gnstic teaching cmmn in the early centuries f the Christian era. New Age spirituality is characterized by an individual apprach, and is clsely tied with the pst mdern philsphies which nw pervade sciety. One key aim is the attainment f the highest individual human ptential. Achieving this places imprtance upn a hlistic apprach which seeks the harmny f bdy, mind and spirit, lking t itself t find truth and meaning. Many New Age practices revlve abut the search fr persnal wellbeing and whleness. Because each individual is seen t be f such imprtance, the views f each persn are held t be f great value. The human mind is believed t have deep levels, which may be expressed thrugh dreams and psychic experiences, smetimes heightened by drug use. Thrugh persnal transfrmatin believers hpe t develp new ptentials within themselves, the ability t heal themselves and thers, and a new understanding f the wrkings f the universe. Right and wrng are nt abslutes, but alternate sides f truth, as in yin and yang. This means that values and mrals are subjective, and actins are judged by the effect they have n thers. Great imprtance is given t lve, the ideal state in which individuals c-exist in perfect harmny. Ultimately every interpersnal relatinship is believed t have the ptential t be a helpful experience in terms f each individual s wn grwth. The nly reality is seen as existing thrugh life in different frms, althugh there may be spiritual laws such as the principle f cause and effect (karma). Death is nt the end; rebirth des nt punish, but teaches the individual and ensures that the life frce cntinues. New Age teaching has already had a significant effect n mdern sciety and its way f thinking, including its attitudes twards educatin. The fcus n the individual and the drive fr persnal fulfilment seems t be at the heart f what schls are aiming t achieve, and wuld appear t be a very psitive gal. The Respnse f Church f England Schls t New Age Thinking In ur church schls we share many f the aims f the New Age mvement. We want every pupil t build self-esteem and independence, t achieve their full ptential and live a wrthwhile and fulfilled life. We als hpe that they will be independent spiritually, aware that there is mre t life than the mental and physical. We want them t cnserve and nurture the wrld arund them, taking respnsibility fr its future. We lng fr an end t divisins within sciety, and we hpe fr peace and gd gvernment. These are very imprtant bjectives that we share with thse wh fllw New Age philsphies. Hwever, althugh the gals are the same; fr Christians the mtivatin fr achieving them is very different, and s it shuld be fr church schls. At the heart f New Age thinking is the belief that gd, r spiritual frces, exist within the wrld and all living things. There is n clear distinctin between the divine and creatin, as gd is fund within rather than utside f what he has made. If the wrld is divine, having created itself thrugh evlutin, then it can cntinue t imprve and develp int smething better withut the need fr an independent gd. Christians, n the ther hand, believe that Gd is the creatr. He existed befre and 16

17 Educatin apart frm his creatin and is still active in caring fr it, althugh he gave humanity the task f lking after the earth he had made. The variety and beauty f the wrld tells f the pwer and riginality f its maker. Church schls shuld ffer pprtunities fr pupils t reflect upn, appreciate and care fr creatin, and t understand that Christians believe it reveals smething f Gd himself. At the same time schls shuld help pupils t recgnise the special rle f humanity within creatin. New Age thinking des nt allw fr this, as all life is sacred. Christianity gives value and wrth t every individual, nt because that individual cntains smething f the divine within itself, but because Gd created it in His image as a friend whm He lves. This special relatinship is heightened by the fact that Gd chse t take n human frm in the persn f Jesus. Church schls must embed the premise that every child matters, nt nly t the schl but als t Gd, because He has created a huge diversity f persnality, experience and talent within its pupils and these shuld be celebrated. Schls shuld avid adpting a frm f rigid egalitarianism, inspired by New Age thinking, which attempts t deny any distinctins such as faith, gender, ability and culture and s des nt celebrate the unique cntributin ffered by each individual. The belief in a Trinitarian Gd, which accepts that Jesus was Gd revealed in human frm, is unacceptable t New Age philsphy because, if true, it gives Christian beliefs an exclusive place within wrld religins, an idea incmpatible with the teaching that all faiths are equal paths t truth. Many are willing t accept that a histrical Jesus was an inspired teacher and prphet, but nt that he was Gd incarnate. Gnstic philsphies with beliefs very similar t thse f the New Age were cmmn in the first centuries after Jesus lived, and early Christians were active in writing and preaching against their ideas. The Christian creeds and cann f New Testament bks immerged as part f the attempt t agree rthdx beliefs in the face f Gnstic interpretatins. Such rthdxy ppses the New Age belief that all faiths are equal and individuals t can therefre select their wn truth frm the varius beliefs n ffer. This idea als results in New Age practices that unite elements f Christian belief with nn-christian ideas. Fr example Reiki channels self healing t create whleness and wellbeing, using Reiki symbls alngside Christian within exrcism designed t remve frces which are seen as harming r hindering the develpment f an individual. Schls shuld ensure that they are explicit in sharing and mdelling Christianity in a way that des nt cmprmise the cncepts at its heart. Use f the Bible, liturgy such as traditinal prayers and creeds, and wrking in partnership with the lcal church can give practical supprt in this. While it may apprpriate fr secndary age pupils t be aware f the pressures frm New Age thinking within sciety and t debate their impact, this shuld always be dne in a way that ensures that the Christian viewpint is clearly stated as that preferred by the schl leadership. Fr New Age thinkers the search fr truth begins with the self, while fr Christians truth is fund by lking beynd the self fr Gd. Christians the spiritual is nt fund by seeking a nebulus frce r pwer, but by respnding t a lving Gd, still active in the wrld tday, thrugh the wrk f the Hly Spirit. This Spirit is nt innately part f an individual, but is Gd s way f wrking thrugh the persn in rder that they can live in the way that Gd intended and s achieve meaning and purpse in life true whleness. Christians accept that authrity and the church have ften failed t bring the peace, lve and hpe that Jesus came t deliver, but recgnise that this is because peple have cnstantly failed t live by Gd s standards and fllw Jesus example. There is indeed much that it can learn frm the enthusiasm and psitivity f the New Age mvement. Christians have n place fr pride in their wn achievements, but shuld demnstrate an unselfish reliance n Gd, rather than their wn effrts. 17

18 Educatin Christians wuld agree with New Age teaching that a sense f the spiritual is smething fund in all humans, regardless f age, gender, race, (dis)ability, cultural identity r religius belief, and that ur schls shuld avid valuing the intellectual and physical while marginalizing the spiritual needs f the learner. The challenge fr all educatrs is t help pupils t recgnise, value and develp their spiritual self, by ffering pprtunities fr reflectin, empathy and imaginatin. Church schls shuld be practive in helping pupils t experience the spiritual, giving pprtunities fr awe and wnder, reflectin and wrship thrughut the schl day and acrss the curriculum. Reflectin and stilling can be pwerful ways f helping individuals cmmunicate with Gd. Hwever, meditatin that is slely intrspective, encuraging pupils t find stillness and inner healing within themselves is inapprpriate. Within Church schls the fcus f reflectin shuld be the Trinitarian Gd knwn by individuals, nt as a remte frce, r smething within themselves, but thrugh the wnder f creatin, the example f Jesus and by the wrk f the Hly Spirit. The Bible suggests that we shuld Be still, and knw that I am Gd (Psalm 46:10) The idea f self-fulfilment and fcus n self-esteem within New Age thinking may lead t inadequacy and depressin in thse wh feel that they are nt able t achieve, and are unable t attain whleness and wellness, especially when faced with prblems. Christians believe that, despite their special psitin within creatin, human beings are nt perfect and d nt have the ability t attain perfectin hwever hard they try. Indeed it was because f this failure that Gd sent Jesus t live as a perfect human, thus giving an example t fllw. Mrever his undeserved death and subsequent resurrectin nt nly shw Christians hw much Gd lves humanity, but als ffers frgiveness and hpe. It is thrugh Gd s grace that peple can knw and lve Gd and s make sense f life, befre and after death. Christians believe that individuals must lk beynd themselves, and frm a relatinship with this lving Gd. The Hly Spirit can then wrk thrugh that persn t create a whle and fulfilled individual. Christians agree with New Age thinkers that lve is smething t aim fr, but nt lve fund in perfect relatinships between individuals, an ideal that is unrealistic in the light f human failure. Rather, fr Christians, perfect and unselfish lve is mdeled by Jesus lve and sacrifice fr humanity. This then becmes the example n which t build relatinships with thers. Christians believe that Gd s lve is fr the whle wrld, and that Christians everywhere are united by a cmmn faith and purpse. This means that, when building different levels f cmmunity chesin church schls begin frm an additinal pint f cntact shared eths and values build n smething utside the individual schl - that can be used t develp links and partnerships. New Age beliefs are nt clear n the bundary between right and wrng, which may be seen as different sides f same reality because actins are judged by the result that behaviur has n self and thers. If a persn is happy with his r her wn actins, and they d nt harm thers, then the actin is acceptable. Christians, n the ther hand, believe that Gd has definite standards f right and wrng, gd and evil, and that the Bible gives clear guidance as t what these are. Mrever it clearly states that Gd is hly, and s cannt tlerate evil, r its cnsequences in the life f individuals (sin). Mrals and values are therefre nt subjective r defined by the effect that actins have n thers, but are based n abslutes. This means that, within a church schl, issues f discipline and inter-persnal relatinships shuld be built n these clear Biblical principles. This shuld als have an effect acrss the curriculum, influencing the cntent f subjects such as SRE, PSHE and RE. Fr church schls the Bible shuld be central t the life and wrship f the schl, prviding a fcus fr values and eths, and fr teaching abut Gd, Jesus and the Hly Spirit. Althugh the sacred writings f ther faiths may be respected, studied and shared, fr Christians they are nt t be cnsidered the Bible s equal. While being distinctive in its values and eths, the schl must nt attempt t impse beliefs n thers. Hwever, by mdeling an alternative t New Age 18