Prayer and Collective Worship at St. John Fisher
Aims of Collective Worship
Collective worship in our school provides opportunities for all students and staff:
- to know that students are loved and to understand they are loved
- to help them find their purpose in life
- to help students have an open relationship with God
- to reflect on spiritual and moral issues
- to foster and nurture relationships with God, students and staff
- to experience a sense of belonging and develop a sense of community
- to respond to and celebrate life
- to grow n liturgical understanding and development
- to reinforce prayers that are part of the Catholic tradition
- to develop a common ethos and shared values
- to enrich religious experience
- to actively participate in Collect Worship
- to extend the exposure and experience of different types of prayer to staff and students
Collective worship at SJF takes many forms, including:
- Students and staff starting the day with a whole school prayer accessed by every form during morning registration – led by Form Tutor and students
- Prayers / reflections during lesson- led by staff and students
- Form group act of worship – led by staff and students
- Celebration of the Word Services- led by form tutor and students
- End of year Celebration Service for staff
- Staff prayer before meetings
- Assemblies- Every week following the liturgical year- led by both staff and student ambassadors
- End of year Service
- Christmas Carol Service – led by staff and students
Mass
The Liturgical Calendar is at the heart of our school life. School Masses include:
- St John Fisher Feast Day Mass
- Leavers Mass (Year 11 and Year 13)- led by staff and students
- Lent and Advent Masses with the Sacrament of Reconciliation being available for students, staff and parents after Mass
- Beginning of the New Academic Year Staff Mass
- Deanery Staff Mass
- Diocesan Mass St George’s Cathedral ( SJF travels with local Deanery Schools)
- Form Groups Mass – led by staff and students
- Year 7 Welcome Mass at Aylesford Priory – led by staff and students – support also from 6th formers- Parents invited
- Epiphany Mass
- Ash Wednesday Mass
- Feast of Ascension Mass
- Feast of St Peter and St Paul
- Epiphany Mass
- All Saints Day Mass
- Deanery Retreat Day Mass (every two years)
Assemblies (Collective Worship)
At SJF we believe that Collective Worship provides a very valuable opportunity to enrich the spiritual development of our students. Collective Worship should be welcoming, supportive and informative and allow time for personal reflection. High quality collective worship has the potential to nurture a positive school ethos that focuses on developing an understanding of God’s love, care for the self, others and the pursuit of all forms of excellence.
Our programme of Collective Worship is linked to the weekly Gospel theme and is outlined in the Collective Worship Rota. The weekly themes follow the cycle of the Liturgical Year of the Roman Catholic Church.
Collective Worship is an important opportunity for spiritual development through music and prayer and for presenting Christian values to the students. Assemblies are organised on a year group basis. These are usually led by members of SLT, Faculty Leaders, Heads of Year, the Chaplain, the Head of RE and Student Ambassadors.
Other Forms of Prayer
All staff and students participate in Collective Daily Prayer. Assemblies/Collective Worship, Form Time Registration, all formal school meetings e.g. Governors meetings, Staff meetings, HoY Meetings, SLT meetings, CPD meetings, Department meetings, Student Council meetings, Charity Ambassadors Meetings and Prayer Ambassadors meetings begin with a varied form of prayer.
Please click here to view all of the Daily Prayers for the 2025-26 academic year.
The Chapel
This is an important place for the school community, the heart of the school.
The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the Chapel. As a result of this, when not used for celebrating Mass, the Chapel is a place for private and community prayer, for quiet and reflection and for gatherings of students and staff.
Chaplaincy
Chaplaincy is key to the growth of spirituality at SJF. Students are inspired to take part, to lead and to engage others in Collective Worship. A rich and varied programme of worship runs throughout the week, offering students opportunities such as Celebration of the Word, and charity ambassador activities, allowing for regular opportunities to participate in the sacramental life of the school.
You can also click on the link below to pray using traditional prayers in Catholicism: https://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Prayer/Traditional/index.shtml
