Christian Distinctiveness
At Christ Church Academy we believe that our identity as a Christian community gives us something a bit special...
We root all that we do in the values shown to us by Jesus. Throughout the school, we begin each day with a simple act of prayer, led by our team of Worship Leaders. As we study and play together, we try to remember the values we share. Each half term we focus on a different Christian value, reflecting on why these things are important and what scripture teaches us about them. Each week, during daily Base Time sessions students lead reflections and activities designed to explore the value of the half term. Students also take responsibility for the prayer areas found in each form room.
At Christ Church we feel that it is no good to simply talk about the things that make us distinctive as a Christian school; we also must act. That is why we aim to serve others through initiatives such as Operation Christmas Child and Shoe Aid. It is also the reason why we make sure that we ‘live out’ the values that we study as advocates, so that we can see the fruits of our work around us in school.
Learning about our faith does not stop when we leave the school grounds. We enjoy trips to places such as Lichfield Cathedral and Soul Survivor and also love to welcome visitors to speak to us.
Christ Church Academy regularly worship as a whole school at our local church, Christ Church, Stone. Reverend Kingman plays a vital role in our school, making sure that we have weekly opportunities to come together to worship as Key Stages. Reverend Kingman also supports our Pursuit Club each week, where students have the chance to explore their faith more deeply.
As a Christian school we believe that we offer much more than an academic education; we seek to develop the whole person, offering spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as well as the development of character and identity, allowing our children to become the best versions of themselves, with Christ at the centre of all we do. Our vision is:
To be a learning community that provides excellence in education for the whole person – a place where all can flourish. We believe that: “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
Worship Leader Training for Advent
Our Worship Leaders have attended some special training prior to the start of Advent. They took part in a special reflection and had the opportunity to explore a range of different activties that they will be able to lead with their own forms. We are delighted with how brilliantly our Worship Leaders are conducting themselves in this important role.
Remembering Queen Elizabeth II
Our Worship Leaders created some beautiful tributes to her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate her extraordinary life of service.
Celebrating Success
We recently took delivery of a new banner celebrating our SIAMS 'excellent' judgement. We're very proud to be able to display it at the front of the school and to continue building this success.
Sermon in the Park
We are very pleased that the Year 6 and Key Worker pupils in school have been able to attend worship for the first time in many weeks. The warmer weather meant that we enjoyed an outdoor gathering (socially distanced, of course) to reflect on the theme of Easter and the Resurrection and to pray together. We are very grateful to Rev. Kingman and Peter from Christ Church Stone for returning to school to lead us. It is wonderful to be together to meet with God as a CCA family again.
Prayer and Worship During COVID-19 Closure
Although most of us are currently learning at home, we continue to be united as a school family through prayer. One way to continue your prayer life at home is to set aside some time every day to say the School Prayer or another prayer that you like. You could also explore some of the suggestions for simple acts of worship on this website by clicking the ‘Prayers’ tab on the left-hand side. There are also some fantastic resources provided for you by Reverend Kingman and Peter from Christ Church Stone which you can access by clicking on the 'Christ Church Stone' tab in the purple box on the left of the school website homepage.
From the 21st-31st of May, we will be coming together as one big, global Christian family by taking part in Thy Kingdom Come. Details of how we will be doing this will be sent to you via RE Teams in the week prior.
Gambia Breakfast
Our fundraising efforts continue! In January, we hosted a Gambian breakfast, complete with African drumming and African-inspired artwork. Mr Yendole from the Stone Pirang Partnership was able to speak with pupils and their guests to tell them more about the important work that we are doing together. A warm bowl of porridge was a welcome start to the day and we were very pleased to be able to raise valuable funds for our friends in Pirang.
Pennies for Gambia
Very well done to all who helped to create a fantastic 'penny picture' using the coins collected in school over the past few weeks. Together we raised over £225, just from handing in our change- and what a change this money will now make! The funds will be going to the village of Pirang, who were are working with this year, so that the children attending school can have a cooked meal each day.
The Gambia Project
We welcomed Mr Alex Yendole to school today to talk to KS3 about The Gambia Project- a partnership between communities in Stone and Pirang in The Gambia. He explained that children in the village were often prevented from being able to go to school because of the cost of education and that many families were forced to choose between feeding or educating their children. Mr. Yendole also told us about the difficulties facing women in The Gambia, especially those having babies in the village. He showed us photographs of the school and health centre and of some of his Gambian friends who he works with. Mary, the nurse who leads the health centre, delivers around 15 babies every month but has to pay herself for the water she uses. She also relies on donations of sheets and clothes for the new babies. Despite these injustices, we also learned that The Gambia is a beautiful country and that we have much to learn from the people who live there.
Mr. Yendole speaking to KS3 and showing us some of the resources we can provide.
This marks the start of a special partnership between our pupils and the pupils in Pirang. To mark this, we have written a special prayer:
Lord, Father of all,
We ask that you bless the people of Pirang,
And enable us to use our gifts and talents creatively to support them.
May we have the courage and conviction to speak out against injustice,
And the determination to be the difference that the world needs.
Amen
In the coming weeks and months we will be raising money and collecting vital resources to send to the school and health centre. Watch this space! In the meantime, you can support the project by praying for all those involved.
For more information, click here.
Prayer Space Activities Autumn 2019
Pupils have been enjoying a range of new activities in the Prayer Space this month. We have tried Smarties prayers, plaster prayers of healing and prayer pictures, to name just a few. Thanks to generous funding from the Diocese following a successful bid, we have been able to purchase a some new supplies. Our new Y5 pupils in particular have been having a fantastic time exploring the resources and finding new ways to spend time with God.
Pursuit (formerly Seekers - see below)
After much deliberation, pupils have settled on a new name for our faith group in school- Pursuit. Pursuit runs on Tuesday lunchtimes from 12.30- 1.00 and early lunch passes are available for pupils who would like to attend.
At Christ Church, we are very fortunate to have an active and vibrant Christian youth group called Pursuit. Pursuit have studied at the Parable of the Sheep and Goats and what it means for Christians today. The parable speaks of the importance of acting to serve the most vulnerable of our neighbours, and as such, the children have been working very hard to provide support to various groups. One week they generously donated food and toiletries for the local food bank, on another they sorted a huge collection of stamps that are being sold to collectors to raise money for the charity The Leprosy Mission. In order to find out more, Drake Hall Women’s Prison Chaplain, Sarah, visited to tell us all about her important work and to answer lots of great questions. After hearing about the difference that this work is making, we decided to embark on a fundraising mission to provide Sarah and her team with Christian literature for all of the women. We will also be continuing to pray for all of those groups that we have focusing on.
If your son/ daughter is interested in being part of our Pursuit group, they should speak to Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Bell or Mrs. Nicholson-Ward. We always love to welcome new members.
A New Mural
At Christ Church, our belief that all things are possible through Christ often leads to some big ideas! To this end, creative pupils designed and painted a huge mural, representing who we are, in the KS3 area. It now serves as a reminder of what we stand for as a Christian community.
Shoe Aid 2019
Generous pupils at Christ Church Academy have collected over two hundred pairs of shoes to donate to the charity Shoe Aid. Founder Lee Todd visited the school to receive the footwear and to explain what will happen to their donations. With TV appearances and celebrity endorsements growing, the charity now assists people both in the UK and abroad.
The shoes will make their way to children around the world, many of whom do not yet attend school because of a lack of suitable footwear. Assistant Principal, Mrs Nicholson-Ward said, "The generosity and compassion of our pupils is something that makes our school a very special place. Seeing such young people act as advocates for change in the world is wonderful."
Thy Kingdom Come Prayer Week 2019
For 10 days in May, pupils and staff took part in a prayer event called ‘Thy Kingdom Come’. ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ is a global prayer movement that started in 2016 as an invitation from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to the Church of England and has grown into an international call to prayer. Taking part in the event gave pupils and staff the chance to pray for or think about 5 people who are very important to them. Supplied with the letter that went home to explain the event was some string to make a prayer band that we wore to school for the 10 day period. We made 5 knots in the thread – one to represent each person. During the last lesson of each day we were given a few moments time to pray for, or reflect on, those 5 people that the 5 knots represented. Some pupils and staff completed the prayer cards supplied and brought them in to school to help them remember their 5 people.
Lichfield Cathedral Doves of Peace
Pupils have been busy creating hundreds of doves, decorated with messages of peace. For details of how to see their very impressive work installed in Lichfield Cathedral, please see the flyer below.
Christmas Cards for the Community
Pupils across the schol created Christmas cards for members of our local community living in care homes. After hearing some shcocking statistics about the lonlieness suffered at this time, partciularly by the elderly, we decided we had to act. Many of our parents who work in care homes helped us by distributing the cards, some of which our pupils were able to hand-deliver too. We are grateful that we are able to serve others in the simple way.
Remembrance Week
Earlier this month, pupils participated in Remembrance Week- five days of specially designed activities to deepen their understanding of the importance of the 2018 centenary. The children had opportunities to reflect on the importance of remembrance in their own lives and to learn more about WWI, took part in military drill in PE, created artwork to be displayed at Christ Church Stone, decorated memorial stones and contributed over 1000 paper doves to be used in Lichfield Cathedral later this month part of an art installation on the theme of peace. The week culminated with a very moving two minute silence, begun with the Last Post being played by one of our parents, Mr. Reynolds, and Y8 pupil Rosie who did a fantastic job. Every member of our school community stood together to remember the sacrifices of those who gave their lives.
Mrs Nicholson-Ward
WWI medals brought in by one of our pupils.
Pupils from Y7 with Mr Ward, Education Manager from Lichfield Cathedral, with their paper doves.
Memorial stones created by talented pupils and their families.
Wreaths created during Science lessons this month.
Christmas: Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes
Pupils and staff at CCA have been packing Christmas gifts to send to children all around the world. As part of the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child appeal, the school has donated hundreds of shoeboxes full of presents. We are very proud of the effort that so many people put in and it is wonderful to see the whole community living out our Christian values of compassion and generosity.
Harvest Service and Stone Community Hub Food Bank
Throughout each year, (especially at Harvest) pupils and their families donate produce for our local food bank. The Stone Community Hub receive their donations and, as a result, have fully stocked shelves for the many local people who use the service. How fantastic to see our young people living out the values that they have been learning about at the Academy!
The manager wrote us a lovely letter, explaining the impact that the pupils' donations had made. She also sent a photo of the fully stocked shelves!
It is always a fantastic celerbation to see pupils, staff and parents/carersjoin together as a community to attend our Harvest Service and to offer our thanks to God for his gifts to us. Pursuit performed a fantastic Bake Off themed drama to highlight the importance of trusting in God to guide us. The Head Boy and Head Girl welcomed everyone to the service and our musicians played wonderfully. A real highlight was the beautiful atmosphere of the prayer and reflection time as we entered and left the church- how fantastic to see such reverence from our young people.
International Peace Day - 21/09/18
On the 21st of September, pupils at Christ Church Academy marked International Peace Day. Despite its importance the event is not well-known, and the children decided that this ought to change. Each form’s Worship Leaders helped their classmates to think about what small steps they could take to improve their own communities and to bring peace. They produced some excellent suggestions and wrote them onto 500 paper doves which will now be displayed in the Academy as a reminder of the importance of the work that they have begun. One Worship Leader commented, ‘It is amazing the difference one person can make if they really think about their own actions. Peace is the responsibility of all of us.’ To further celebrate the occasion, the Student Leadership team headed out in very rainy conditions to clean up the local area. Litter pickers and bags in hand, the team of pupils managed to fill two large bags with rubbish, cleaning up the streets surrounding the Academy. Perhaps you spotted the results of their work?
Footsteps Art Exhibition
Pupils in Year 8 have been celebrating the success of their art exhibition. The gallery comprised of their reflections on their time at Christ Church Academy and explored their personal, spiritual, social and academic development over the last four years. Their work was commended for its originality and often profound nature: some pupils' work was even purchased by impressed members of the parish who attended to view their paintings. Pupils were treated to an artist's preview in the school hall before the exhibition was transported to Christ Church, Stone where community members, pupils, families, staff and governors attended. It was super to see pupils' God-given gifts and talents on display and to see how much they have all flourished during their time at the Academy.
Wow Factor Retreat 25/06/18
Earlier this month, a group of pupils in Year 7 ventured off to the beautiful countryside of Ilam for a 24 hour retreat. The Diocese invited pupils to Dovedale House to take part in a range of activities designed to enable them to explore the ‘wow factor’ in worship. In the evening, pupils experienced a candle-lit service in Ilam church and the final day culminated in a superb service in which the children planned and led prayers and worship music. It was fantastic to see how reverent, thoughtful and enthusiastic our representatives were, and I am looking forward to seeing how they will use their experiences to help develop the worship experience of the rest of the school community over the coming months.
Reflection
Each week, one form is able to experience Relfection in the Dance and Drama Studio. The Studio is transformed with purple lighting and music and the children listen to a guided reflection before spending time in private prayer. Pupils have fully embraced this opportunity to be still, to contemplate and to reflect on their own faith and did so in a very reverent and mature manner. Reflection ensure that pupils have the opportunity to experience this radically different form of worship which pupils (and adults!) say has transformed the way that they think about prayer.
Soul Survivor News
In 2016, pupils from Christ Church Academy spent the day at Soul Survivor- a Christian festival held each year especially for young people. We experienced some amazing prayer and worship among thousands of young Christians and enjoyed meeting people from all different walks of life who shared our faith. One highlights of many from the day was listening to His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby answer questions put to him by the young people in attendance. We also thoroughly enjoyed listening the The Rend Collective who performed live, as well as dancing at the silent disco! Now that Soul Survivor has come to an end, we continue to offer all pupils the chance to explore their faith through Christ Church Stone's holiday clubs and Light Parties, as well as events at Shallowford House.
