Spiritual Development

‘Spirituality is like a bird.  If you hold it too closely, it chokes. And if you hold it too loosely, it escapes.’ Irasel Salanter Lipkin

At St. Peter’s CE Academy, we believe that it is very important to provide all children will a range of opportunities to help them develop spiritually. We believe that spiritual development may not be synonymous with RE and Collective Worship and can be explored through many different curriculum areas.

As a school we focus on the idea of 4 concepts of spirituality: self, others, world and beauty and beyond. We start with ‘big questions’ about life and we plan a series of encounters (windows) that open up the possibility of reflection (mirrors). Finally, the children are given the opportunity to put into action what they believe and value (doors).

Our model for Spiritual Development

At St. Peter’s CE Academy, we use the Windows, Mirrors and Doors model to support spiritual development. 

Windows – Learning about life

We give children opportunities to become aware of the world in new ways; to wonder about life’s ‘Wows’ (things that are amazing and unexplainable as to why they evoke such a response) and ‘Ows’ (things that upset us and cause us to be uncertain).  In this, our children are learning about life in all its fullness.

Mirrors – Learning from life

We give children opportunities to reflect on their experiences; to meditate and reflect on life’s big questions and to consider some possible answers.  In this, they are learning from life by exploring their own insights and perspectives and those of others.

Doors – Learning to live life

We give children opportunity to respond to all of this; to do something creative as a means of expressing, applying and further developing their thoughts and convictions.  In this they are learning to live by putting into action what they are coming to believe and value.