Nurturing Spirituality
Spirituality for Our Learners
At Littleton C of E Nursery and Infant School, we believe spirituality flourishes naturally in our youngest children. Their innate sense of wonder, curiosity, and openness creates the perfect foundation for spiritual growth.
What is Spirituality?
Spirituality is about our connections – to ourselves, to others, to the world around us, and to God. It's how we experience wonder, find meaning, and understand our place in God's creation. Through our Christian foundation, we nurture each child's spiritual journey while honouring their unique path.
Through our school’s theologically rooted vision we encourage our children to know that they are each unique, valued and loved. In our learning community we recognise that everyone is made in the image of God. Our school values contribute to this by nurturing the inner soul of our children to develop:
- A sense of self-worth and love, to develop resilience and agency and to know that they are loved and valued.
- To love one another - recognising and celebrating diversity and difference.
- Their place within the world and to be connected to the world within a relationship with God.
We encourage our children to learn and understand that this means accepting ourselves, and each other as unique and precious individuals and to act in love for one another and for God. Through this they can have a sense of connection with the world, a search for meaning, and a belief in God. This includes a sense of awe and wonder, care for nature and a desire to love others and the world around them. Through this they can spiritually appreciate all that is good, joyful, truthful and beautiful, and to embrace life and all that the world has to offer them.
Our Core Values in Action
Our approach to spirituality is guided by our three core values, all flowing from our love of God:
Care for Ourselves
- We help children recognise their own worth as unique individuals created and loved by God. Through quiet reflection times, children learn to:
- Understanding one’s own thoughts, feelings and emotions
- Developing self-identity and personal values
- Exploring questions about who we are and our place in the world
- Recognising our own worth and uniqueness as God’s creation
Care for Each Other
Children explore what it means to be part of a loving community through:
- Building meaningful relationships through Christ like love
- Developing empathy and compassion
- Learning Bible stories about Jesus's kindness and compassion
- Understanding and talking about different prospectives and beliefs
- Courageous Advocacy - recognising our responsibility to care for others
- Experiencing and building connection within our community
Care for Our World
We encourage children to:
- Experience awe and wonder in nature
- Learn about God's creation through sensory exploration and Forest School
- Take part in simple environmental projects
- Express gratitude for the natural world
- Understand their role as caretakers of God's creation
How We Nurture Spirituality Everyday
In Our Environment
- Dedicated prayer corners with child-friendly religious symbols
- Reflection areas for quiet moments
- Providing natural resources that invite and inspire wonder
- Outdoor spaces that connect children with creation
- Displays of children's spiritual thinking and experiences
Through Our Activities
- Daily worship with simple prayers and songs and space to reflect
- Interactive Bible stories using puppets and role-play
- Nature walks to discover God's creation
- Creative expression through art, music and dance
- Prayer Spaces Days led by Shepperton Prayer Group
- Festivals and celebrations throughout the Christian year
Through Relationships
- Responsive adults who listen to spiritual questions
- Space and time for children to express their thoughts about God
- Community connections with our local church
- Family involvement in spiritual celebrations and Family Worship
- Living our faith by modelling Christian values in all our interactions
The Journey of Faith
Spirituality is both a personal and shared experience. We celebrate each child's individual spiritual journey while providing the foundation of Christian faith. We believe that by nurturing spirituality in these formative years, we help children develop:
- A sense of identity and belonging
- The capacity for wonder and gratitude
- The language to express spiritual experiences
- Values that will guide them throughout life
- A growing relationship with God
We invite you to be part of this journey as together we help our children grow in care for themselves, care for each other, and care for our world – all through our love of God.
