20th January 2026
Simon from Trinity led our collective worship, focusing on the story of the Prodigal Son. The story tells of a father and his two sons, brought to life through some great acting from selected children. The younger son chose to take his inheritance early, leaving home and spending the money on fun and enjoyment. When the money ran out, his so-called friends disappeared and he was left with nothing. Desperate, he found work on a farm and became so hungry that he even considered eating the pigs’ food. Eventually, he came to his senses and remembered that even the servants in his father’s house were better cared for than he was. Hoping only to be accepted back as a servant, he returned home. Instead, his father ran to meet him, embraced him, and celebrated his return with a party. Simon reminded us of our value in God’s sight, comparing it to a crumpled £5 note that is still worth £5. Like the father in the story, God sees us as valuable, even when we make mistakes.
29.1.26
On Thursday, Fr Nick from the Abbey led our Collective Worship, reminding us of the respect that Jesus has for all people, especially children. Fr Nick brought in a some art work from the Abbey and he selected a group of children to investigate it. Children identified Jesus with children in the photo, as well as the Abbey. We discussed what the halo around Jesus’ head symbolises and as well as the verse around the edges which came from Matthew 19:4 in the bible.
‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.
A reminder that Jesus was never too busy or too important to be with anyone, including children. On Sunday, the Abbey will be hosting a special ‘Wild Worship’ event especially for children, see the advert below for details.
Father Nick lead Collective Worship on Thursday where we looked at our favourite Winter Olympic Sports events! We looked how we should treat our rivals (with respect) before two children attempted to cause the other to loose balance whilst each of them stood on one leg - eventually the more proactive children won. Children then read some famous passages from St. Paul in the bible about running the race of life and being steadfast. Fr Nick then took us through the a series of prayers using our language of Spirituality framwork - myself, others, the world and beyond. Here is the prayer we saud for the 'world'.
"Dear God, we think of the nations gathered for the games. We pray that the world would become stronger through peace and faster to show mercy. May the spirit of fair paly and respect spread fromt he sports field into every country, reminding us that we are one human family, bound together in hope."
5th March
Collective Worship
On Tuesday, we were delighted to welcome Sarah from Holy Trinity, who led our Collective Worship. At the front of the hall she set up a line of dominoes and demonstrated how, when one domino was tipped over, it caused all the others to fall in turn. Sarah explained that unforgiveness can work in a similar way – when we hold onto it, it can spread and affect others around us.
She then removed one of the dominoes and showed how this stopped the chain reaction. In the same way, choosing to forgive can stop the cycle of unforgiveness from spreading from person to person.
Sarah also shared the Old Testament story of Joseph, who was badly treated by his brothers when he was younger. Despite the hardship he experienced, Joseph eventually rose to become a leader in Egypt and chose to forgive his brothers rather than take revenge.
As we look towards Easter, we are reminded that God is a forgiving God and that we too are called to forgive others.
Inspiring Collective Worship: The Story of St Patrick
On St Patrick’s Day, we were delighted to welcome Sarah from Trinity Church to lead our Collective Worship. She shared the incredible story of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, focusing on his powerful message of forgiveness.
Sarah told us how, as a child, Patrick was kidnapped and taken to Ireland to work as a slave. After eventually escaping and returning home, he felt a remarkable call from God to return to the very place where he had been held captive to share the story of Jesus.
While most would never go back, Patrick chose to forgive his captors. His willingness to serve those who had treated him so badly had a lasting impact on the entire country. It was a wonderful lesson for us all on the strength found in forgiveness and grace.
Thursday 16th April
The Strength in Our Diversity
This week, our Collective Worship focused on the beauty of our diverse community and how we are stronger together.
On Tuesday, we were delighted to welcome Sarah from Trinity. She shared a powerful visual lesson using a large, handmade chain. The children noticed that the chain was crafted from a huge variety of materials—everything from paper and ribbon to cereal boxes and household string.
Sarah explained that this chain represents our school: a diverse group of people from different places and backgrounds, each with our own unique likes, dislikes, and preferences. However, she also gave us a firm reminder of our responsibility to one another; when she snapped the chain, she demonstrated how falling out with our friends can break the strength of our community.
Mr Stanton continued this theme on Thursday by looking at the very first "diverse team"—Jesus’ disciples. We explored how Jesus chose a wide range of people, including hardworking fishermen, a tax collector, a freedom fighter, and deep-thinkers like Thomas.
Just like those disciples, every person at Tewkesbury C of E is unique, valued, and needed. We are proud to be a community that embraces everyone!
Open the Book - Wednesday 29th April 2026
On Wednesday, our school community joined the ‘Open the Book’ team for an inspiring Collective Worship. They shared the story of four determined friends who carried a paralysed man to see Jesus. Unable to reach him through the crowd, they climbed the roof and lowered their friend through the tiles.
Seeing their incredible faith, Jesus first told the man, "Your sins are forgiven," before saying, "Get up, take your mat and go home." Miraculously, the man stood up and walked!
This story challenges us to consider our own roles within our school. We all face "mat moments" where we feel stuck or overwhelmed. It reminds us to be a community of "mat-carriers"—friends who notice when someone is struggling and act with the determination to lift them up. By supporting one another, just as those friends did, we ensure that no one has to face their challenges alone.
Last Thursday, Father Nick led collective worship focused on community. He shared fascinating insights from a recent day experience learning all about bees, explaining how they work together to build hives. They divide their six-week lifespans between vital roles, spending their first few weeks building and maintaining the hive inside, before spending their final weeks foraging outside for honey.
To show the strength of teamwork, Father Nick challenged three pupils to build a tower. It seemed simple, until he introduced strict limitations: one child could not use their right hand, one could not speak, and one kept their eyes closed. Despite these barriers, and with a little bit of guidance from Father Nick, the team communicated beautifully and succeeded!
Father Nick linked this to the early Church in Acts 2, where believers shared everything and supported one another. Our pupils left inspired to use their own unique skills and abilities to help our school community thrive.
Collective Worship: Celebrating Our Diverse Community
Our latest collective worship focused on the theme of Community. Father Nick began with a lively demonstration, asking four children to shout different words simultaneously. At first, it was pure noise! However, when spoken one by one, we heard Jambo, Kamusta, Yassas, and Marhaban—the word for "hello" in Swahili, Filipino, Greek, and Arabic.
This beautifully highlighted the incredible variety of languages spoken by our children at home, showcasing the rich diversity of our CofE school family.
We then explored the biblical story of Pentecost. We learned how the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to praise God in multiple languages, reaching visitors from many nations. The worship reminded us all that while living in a diverse community can sometimes bring challenges, our differences ultimately make our school life vastly richer, more vibrant, and far more interesting.
SIAMS – Outstanding
