“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Matthew 18:20
Prayer and liturgy is at the heart of daily life at Botwell House Catholic Primary School and flows directly from our mission: “We place Christ at the heart of everything we do, to inspire excellence.” Through prayer, we create opportunities for pupils, staff and families to encounter Christ, listen and respond to the Word of God, reflect upon their lives and recognise how God calls each of us to serve others.
Our pupils experience a rich and varied prayer life which reflects the traditions of the Catholic Church and follows the seasons and celebrations of the liturgical year. This includes daily classroom prayer, Celebration of the Word, Gospel and Praise Assemblies, traditional and spontaneous prayer, music, silence, meditation, Lectio Divina, the Examen, Rosary and Marian devotions, seasonal celebrations and opportunities to participate in the Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Our Chapel, prayer spaces and prayer garden provide further opportunities for quiet reflection and encounter with God.
Growing in Prayer
Prayer and liturgy at Botwell House is carefully progressive. From EYFS onwards, pupils are formed to participate meaningfully in prayer and gradually take greater responsibility for its preparation. In EYFS and KS1, children work alongside their teachers and use age-appropriate planning resources to begin making meaningful choices about Celebration of the Word. As pupils move through KS2, they increasingly prepare, reflect upon and evaluate prayer and liturgy with greater independence and discernment, considering the purpose of Scripture, music, silence, symbolism, prayer and response.
Our Claretian Flames in Years 3 and 4 begin a pathway of spiritual leadership within the school, while our Pupil Chaplains in Years 5 and 6 take an increasingly active role in supporting the prayer and spiritual life of our community. Pupils are encouraged not simply to prepare prayer, but to consider how their encounter with Scripture should influence the way they live. In this way, prayer is closely connected to our commitment to Catholic Social Teaching, inspiring pupils to uphold human dignity, show solidarity, care for creation, seek justice and serve those who are poor or vulnerable.
Prayer Beyond The Classroom
Our prayer life extends beyond the school day and beyond the school gates. We value the important partnership between school, home and parish in nurturing the spiritual lives of our children. Families are invited to share in opportunities such as Stay and Pray during the Rosary, Advent and Lent, while our Mary and Rosary Bags travel home during October and May so that children can share prayer with parents and carers.
The Wednesday Word is shared with families to help connect home, school and the Sunday Gospel, while reflections and prayers in the Botwell Bulletin and celebrations shared through the Botwell app enable our wider community to journey through the liturgical year together. Parent workshops, including opportunities to explore how prayer and liturgy can be supported at home, further strengthen this partnership.
Our close relationship with our parishes and clergy ensures that pupils experience themselves as members of the wider Catholic Church. Pupils visit the church as part of their learning, work alongside parish representatives and participate in significant liturgical celebrations throughout the year. These experiences help our children understand that the faith they encounter at Botwell belongs to a living community extending from home and school to parish, deanery, diocese and the universal Church.
Pupil Prepared Celebration of the Word Planning Booklet
Our Daily Prayers at School
