Shared moments of prayer and reflection are a cornerstone of life at St Gregory’s Catholic Primary in Margate as the school began the new term with collective worship.
Led by the chaplaincy team, children from Year 1 to Year 6 marked the start of 2026 and a time of new beginnings.
Organiser is teacher Leah Campbell who is Religious Education leader. She said: “Through the Gospel of John, we were poetically reminded that God and Jesus have been with us from the very beginning and remain with us now.
“This built perfectly on our Head Teacher’s Epiphany assembly that truly reflected our Catholic ethos, placing Christ at the heart of everything we do.
“These shared moments of prayer and reflection help our pupils grow spiritually, deepen their sense of belonging, and encourage them to carry Christ’s light into their classrooms, friendships, and the wider world.
“At St Gregory’s, we strive to be a caring, tolerant, thoughtful family – it truly is a wonderful place to belong.”
She explained that worship is a responsibility shared by the whole school community, not just the chaplaincy team. The school comes together for saints’ feast days, Celebration of the Word, and Masses for Holy Days of Obligation, giving every child regular opportunity to encounter God.
Miss Campbell added: “This includes strong connection with the local parish and priest Fr Ted, who inspires us every day in his phenomenal work.
“Our times of reflection and worship allows St Gregory’s to live out its mission for children to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and grow in a Love of Learning, Love of One Another, Love of Our World, and Love of God.”
Head Teacher Dave Walker said : “As a Catholic school, we have a unique place in the local community with very close links to our parish church of Ss Austin and Gregory.
“We aim for our school to reflect the Gospel message and place Jesus Christ at the centre of everything we do by integrating Gospel values and the teachings of the Catholic church into every aspect of learning.
“Because of this, great thought and effort goes into the education of nurture of our children as individuals. We also value the collective: the joy of working and learning in a school that is bonded by common values. We recognise that each one of us has a special part to play in creating a better world and building up God’s Kingdom here on Earth.
“We live and breathe our school values of Friendship, Forgiveness, Truthfulness, Thankfulness and Perseverance. We are a community that works together, finds joy together and supports each other.”
St Gregory’s is part of the Kent Catholic Schools Partnership (KCSP).
Very nice set of school values, and a positive Catholic ethos. Well done to all the pupils involved.