Special moments

Across civilisations and cultures it is commonly human to enjoy deeply shared experiences. Five such sentiments stand out: Hellos and goodbyes, Gratitude and thankfulness, Regret and sorrying, Wonder and wowing, and Hoping and seeking. These are felt individually and also shared communally. They are valid in and of themselves, irrespective of whether or not they are also understood as pointing to a greater source and resource beyond them. It would be entirely fitting for them each to feature in any annual calendar of reflection and 'commonwealthing' on the part of the school community. 

Belonging + boundaries

Growing within a school community is the other setting alongside the family where, consciously and unconsciously, some sense of belonging takes shape on the part of any young person. It will involve relationships within the school as also with the neighbourhood outside it – including other schools and extending to the region, the country and the world at large. Boundaries can be explored and horizons stretched including potential future roles, careers and vocations. Building a sense of interdependence and mutuality, opening up options for work and play beyond school, acknowledging national and international priority days all contribute to sense of social bond and bounds. As such they warrant recognition as a component in this annual calendar of collective ‘oomph’.

Subject celebration

Historically across the world, it is no coincidence that education and religion have had a hand-in-glove relationship. ‘Love of learning and desire for God’ is not a peculiarly Christian sentiment. Looking for better understanding, searching for what rings true, wanting to pass this on to others - all are universal sentiments. Different disciplines, subjects and forms of knowledge have developed to stimulate and convey this as curriculum. In the context of a whole school gatherings, exposure to teachers’ delight in turn to each of these deserves inclusion as another component in their collective calendar.

Living faith streams

The national calendar has Christmas and Easter built into it, if no longer Lent except as Pancake Tuesday. Increasingly, it acknowledges festivals of other traditions such as Passover, Eid, and Diwali. Systematically featuring these as the other main component of school assemblies is an opportunity to affirm the legitimate present of different faith communities which comprise British identity. This would focus on the meaning of the festival or other representative features from within its celebrating community. It might be centred on a particular person and their associated story. It might involve listening to the words of hymns or prayers. It would invite visual accompaniment - and sometimes noise, sometimes silence.