Inspiring Successful Partnership through God’s love.
At Ireleth St Peter’s, our Christian vision and values are at the heart of school life. Through a distinctly Christian ethos, we seek to create a loving, inclusive community in which every child is known, valued and encouraged to flourish. Our approach to Religious Education, collective worship and spiritual development gives children opportunities to explore faith, ask big questions, reflect on their own beliefs and convictions, and develop respect for the beliefs of others.
As a Church of England school within the Diocese of Carlisle, our Christian vision underpins all aspects of school life. We share the Church of England’s commitment to enabling children and adults to flourish and to experience “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10). Our vision, values, curriculum, worship, and relationships work together to nurture wisdom, hope, community, dignity, and respect.
Children take part in Religious Education each week. Christianity is central to our curriculum, alongside planned opportunities to learn about other faiths and worldviews. Children also explore important religious festivals in context throughout the year. Through high-quality RE, we aim to build secure knowledge, encourage thoughtful theological thinking and help children make connections between belief, practice and their own experiences of life. Our curriculum is intended to reflect the expectations of the Church of England Statement of Entitlement for Religious Education, enabling children to develop a rich understanding of Christianity, religions and worldviews while asking challenging questions and respectfully exploring their own beliefs and those of others.
Each month, the whole school focuses on a Christian value. These values are explored through Bible stories, scripture, collective worship and everyday school life, and are meaningfully linked with British Values.
Friendship • Hope • Peace • Joy • Justice • Love • Perseverance • Service • Patience • Responsibility • Thankfulness
Collective worship is a central and valued part of life at ISP. We currently have six worship opportunities across the week, including a dedicated celebration worship in which we recognise children’s achievements, gifts and talents. Worship is planned to be inclusive, invitational, and inspiring, giving everyone the opportunity to participate in ways that are meaningful to them. Children are encouraged to be still, reflect, pray or think, explore the big questions of life, respond to events in the wider world and celebrate key times in the Christian calendar.
Our worship programme is varied and may include Gospel and Bible teaching, our value of the month, class-led worship, inclusive worship, prayer and reflection, music and celebration. Children are also given opportunities to take an active role in worship and in the spiritual life of the school.
Spiritual development is woven throughout life at ISP and can be nurtured in every child. Across RE, collective worship, prayer, reflection, the wider curriculum and experiences beyond the classroom; children are encouraged to notice, question, wonder, reflect and respond. Our spirituality approach helps children think about their relationship with SELF, OTHERS, the WORLD, and BEYOND, creating space for awe and wonder, stillness, curiosity and compassion. Children are encouraged to explore life’s big questions, make sense of their experiences, and develop their own beliefs, values and sense of spirituality.
Our relationship with St Peter’s Church is an important part of our Christian life. As a whole school, we visit the church monthly for worship and gather there at other significant points in the Christian year. These regular experiences help children to see the church as a living part of their community and to grow in confidence with Christian traditions, worship and sacred spaces.
We are fortunate to have a strong relationship with Father Tom, who is a familiar and valued presence in school. He joins us for monthly worship, lunches with the children, family group events, and a wide range of other school occasions. Children also visit St Peter’s for additional learning experiences, including baptising their class bears and exploring aspects of Christian belief and practice such as Holy Communion. These experiences make learning RE authentic, memorable, and rooted in our local church community.
Our Christian vision does not stop at the school gates. Christian values shape how we learn, care for one another and contribute to our community. We encourage children to recognise their own gifts, value others, take responsibility, and understand that their actions can make a positive difference. Through prayer, reflection, service, charitable action, care for our community and courageous advocacy, children are encouraged to put our values into action and develop a growing understanding of justice and responsibility locally and globally.
To help families and visitors explore our Christian life further, the webpage should include links to the following current documents and official sources:
