Each week our assembly time allows pupils to explore the wider world alongside British Values. These sessions help pupils to learn more about the wider world and make connections with their own lives as we deepen understanding of our school and British values, as well as celebrating and sharing our successes across the school.
Each week our assemblies are organised as follows:
PICTURE NEWS
Picture News assemblies focus on world events, exploring British Values and the UN rights of a child, these assemblies are then followed up and reflected on; pupils complete a short piece of work recording their thoughts and views about the events shared.
Our School Council, Monitors, Playground Leaders, Well-being Ambassadors, Sports Ambassadors and the Reading Team all take a role in leading and delivering assemblies across the school throughout the year.
FAMILY ASSEMBLIES
Each class prepares and presents a family assembly showcasing their learning and our school values in action, parents are invited to join us for these.
COLLECTIVE WORSHIP
Staff and children meet for daily collective worship, which takes a variety of forms. The content of our assemblies encourages a positive school ethos of caring, understanding and tolerance for all. Assemblies are used to reinforce and develop our school standards, school values as well as British values.
We are also pleased to say we work closely with the local places of worship including St Luke's church who often join in our assemblies.
R-TIME
At Fernvale Primary School our school community live and breathe a dynamic programme called R-Time: ‘Relationships To Improve Education.’
This is a structured programme that builds and enhances relationships for our students; a skill they can use and take with them beyond their school life.
Each weekly session aims to develop respectful relationships, along with good manners, life-long social skills, improved behaviour and supporting their well-being. With these learnt skills, it reduces bullying, encourages conflict resolution and teaches everyone to respect the rights of others’ beliefs and values.
Implementation
Our sessions are taught once a week for 15 minutes, but it is seen in every aspect of our school life. R-Time is a non-academic subject that is accessible for all ages and abilities.
Within each session, the structure of the lesson includes the following steps:
- Diamond Rules and Instruction
- Random Pairing
- Meet and Greet
- Ice Breaker
- Activity
- Plenary
- Farewell
All teaching staff are trained in the effective implementation of R-Time. The effects of which are visible within the school.
Step 1. R time Rule and Instruction (Expectations)
During R time, there are always expectations that children will use good manners, make eye contact when speaking, use each other's names and use the respectful language of taking turns, sharing and fairness.
Step 2. Random Pairing
Our pupils love working each time with a different partner, enabling them, over time, to work with all the children in the class.
Step 3. Introduction (Greeting)
Once the children are in pairs, either on the classroom carpet (where they sit face to face) or sitting at a desk ( where they incline their chairs towards each other), they greet each other by name, taking turns.
This can be a simple greeting or extended by sharing some information with the partner.
Step 4. The Activity
The process, through which our teachers guide, emphasises throughout the activity, the interpersonal skills of relationships and respectful communication.
Step 5. Plenary or Feedback
The children, led by their teacher, have the opportunity to reflect on the activity they have shared with their partner and how their cooperative interaction enabled it to be a success......or otherwise!
Step 6. Conclusion
At the end of our weekly session, the children thank their partner. This can be a simple "thank you" using the partner's name or, perhaps a sentence beginning with “thank you for...." which will reflect how they have worked together.
Each R time session ends on this positive note.