At Charles Kingsley’s CE Primary School, we believe that spirituality is something that can lift us beyond the ordinary, helping us to see the world with curiosity, appreciation and wonder. Spirituality is not a single idea or experience; it is unique to every individual and grows with us throughout our lives.

Spirituality as Something Extraordinary

Spirituality opens the door to moments, big or small, that have the power to shape us.
It is about being curious, reflective and open to the world around us.

It can feel like:

• A moment of awe and wonder
• A sense of calm or stillness
• A feeling that you are part of something bigger
• An instinctive response that is felt rather than taught

Spirituality is deeply personal and can be both joyful and grounding.

Spirituality Is for Everyone

At CKS, spirituality is inclusive and open to all, regardless of faith, culture or background.
Although our Christian foundation guides our ethos, we recognise that spirituality:

• Is not limited to any religion or belief system
• Can be experienced by all children and adults in our diverse school community
• Can be shared collectively or felt individually
• Grows and develops throughout a person’s lifetime

Every human being has the capacity to wonder, to care and to feel deeply and these are all spiritual experiences.

Spirituality Is More Than a Feeling

While spirituality may sometimes feel warm or uplifting, it is also expressed through how we understand and interact with the world. It can involve:

• Appreciating beauty, nature and the world around us
• Being observant and noticing the small details
• Self‑reflection and thinking deeply about our thoughts or actions
• Being still, quiet or at peace
• Responding emotionally to music, art, love or nature
• Experiences that are difficult to describe in words

How We Nurture Spiritual Development at CKS

Spiritual development is woven through the life of the school, with Collective Worship as a key opportunity for reflection and growth. Worship happens in the hall, in classrooms and sometimes outdoors, providing varied spaces to experience stillness, silence, music, images, stories and deep questions.

Beyond worship, we help children develop what David Smith (Making Sense of Spiritual Development) calls spiritual capacities.

Spiritual Capacities We Nurture

We support children to:

• Be guided by their beliefs and values, and stand up for what they feel is right
• Be self‑aware and empathise with the experiences of others
• Love and care for themselves, believe in their potential and develop resilience
• Use imagination and creativity
• Appreciate beauty and experience awe and wonder
• Be intrigued by mystery and open to the possibility of something beyond themselves
• Feel comfortable with stillness, silence and moments of reflection or prayer
• Say sorry, forgive themselves, and forgive others
• Take risks, reflect on mistakes and grow from them
• Show curiosity and openness when exploring life’s “big questions”
• Be thankful for the good things in life and show generosity towards others

These capacities help children flourish spiritually, emotionally and relationally.

Why Spiritual Development Matters

“Spirituality and spiritual development have a place in schools because we are required to have them there, because it is our children’s right, because they are integral to the purpose of education and because they can make a positive contribution to good practice.”
— David Holmes

At CKS, spirituality is not an extra; it is part of helping every child grow into a thoughtful, compassionate and resilient individual.