St Ambrose Catholic Primary - Prayer and Liturgy

Our Faith

Prayer and liturgy are central to the Catholic life of school at St Ambrose, to help our children experience the presence of God and develop a spiritual life.

In its simplest form, prayer is defined as “talking to God.” It is a personal time where we open our hearts to our Heavenly Father; bringing everything in our hearts to Him.

Prayer can be a powerful force for change in our lives, and the importance of doing it on a daily basis should be instilled in our children.

Communication is the foundation for success in any relationship. When we communicate openly and freely with each other, we learn to know each other as individuals. This principle also applies to our relationship with God. By talking to God, we can learn more about who He is and what plan He has for us.

Children and staff meet daily for prayer and liturgy, either as a whole school, small group, class or key stage. We are currently working to implement the requirements of the Prayer and Liturgy Directory (To love you more dearly).

Prayer and Liturgy Directory

Prayer areas around school

We are so lucky with the layout of our school to have many beautiful spaces for prayer. Every classroom and available space around school has a focal point for prayer which is appropriate to the liturgical season. As you can see, our courtyard is a wonderful space for quiet prayer and group prayer. We are so lucky to have such a beautiful space. We also use this space to grow plants to remind us of how to care for God's creation and live out our CST.

Formal prayers

Formal prayers are said at the start and end of each day and children are encouraged to learn a selection of traditional prayers in each year group. Children are always welcome to engage in individual, spontaneous prayer whenever they would like to.

Please see the progression of prayer taught by the selecting a year group.

Children are introduced to a variety of different ways of praying throughout St Ambrose. Such as,

quiet reflection / meditation

spontaneous prayer

praying together

writing our own prayers

prayers through music

learning traditional Catholic prayers

Our Prayer and Liturgy Policy outlines our approach to Prayer and Liturgy across school including the progression of pupil participation and preparation.

''We speak to God!'' Preschool child. ''We know the Our Father now!'' Reception child. ''When we pray, we speak to God.'' Y1 child ''God calls me to care for our planet because He created it.'' Y2 child. ''Every day we speak to God and have learnt to listen to what He asks us to do.'' Y3 child. ''Before my First Holy Communion, we learnt different types of prayers, like the silent ones after Communion which is when it's just your special time with God.'' Y4 child. ''One of my favourite times of year is when we gather as a school to pray the Rosary. It is really special.'' Y5 child. ''Taking time each day to pray together is special and it reminds us about what Jesus said.''Y6 child. When two or three gather in His name, He is present among them. Matthew 18:20

Our Weekly Approach to Prayer and Liturgy

Gospel – Celebration of the Word

Each Monday morning, the children from Nursery to Year Six gather together for our Gospel Celebration of the Word that is led by Mrs Brocklesby or Mrs Laskey. The theme is determined by the Liturgical calendar and the Gospel from the previous day.

Class Prayer

Each week, different children in each class prepare and lead their class in prayer. The children are guided by adults to prepare for this.

Musical Praise

Every Wednesday the children gather together to hear the word and sing songs of praise to God. They practise hymns and songs that we use for our celebrations of the word and Masses.

Celebration Assembly

Every Friday the whole school community comes together for a time of celebration and celebration of the word. We celebrate the achievements of the school with our Virtues certificates being distributed alongside handwriting, house points and attendance awards. We celebrate individuals who use the talents given by God in extra-curriculum activities. We end each week together by thanking God for all He has done to help us achieve and learn.

Stay and Pray sessions

Throughout the academic year, each class hosts a Stay and Pray session, welcoming parents and family members to join us in prayer and reflection. These special gatherings are a cherished part of our school year, providing a wonderful opportunity to hear the Word of the Lord, listen to the children’s own heartfelt prayers, and share in singing some of our favourite hymns together. Our Stay and Pray sessions help to strengthen the partnership between home, school, and parish, while enriching the prayer and liturgical life of our whole school community.