What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
As a Church of England Academy in the Diocese of Peterborough, our Christian ethos and core values are expressed in all that we do. Chaplaincy supports all members of our community: students, staff, governors, parents and carers. It is integral to school life and our Lay Chaplain facilitates worship, offers pastoral care and works with students and staff to help them to discover who they are called to be.
Worship is a priority at our school. Each day, there are carefully planned acts of collective worship led by students, staff and visitors from a range of local churches. Form worship also takes place daily and communion is a special moment for each year group.
The Chapel of St Matthew is literally and metaphorically at the heart of our school. It is a welcoming and safe space for students and staff alike to spend time reflecting, praying, socialising or just "being". Just as Jesus welcomed all, all are welcome in the Chapel.
Our Chapel is always vibrant and busy! Every morning from 8am right through to the end of the day, there will be plenty going on. Tea and Toast, opportunities to worship God creatively through art, music and silent reflection and to explore more about the Christian faith. Many groups are led by our own students. We have an active Praying Parents group and the Chaplain is always happy to meet with students, parents and staff to talk, listen or pray with them.
We place high value on the uniqueness of every individual in our community, because we believe that we are all made in the image of God. As a result, our school is one where we live well together.
The Chaplain's role is varied. She encourages and disciples those who have a Christian faith and nurtures and values those of other faiths and also those with no faith. She provides opportunities for everyone to explore life’s big questions and what that means for everyone in the Bishop Stopford School community.
Our ethos, practices and values as a Church of England school are derived from the Bible. More detail can be found in our Theological Underpinning document.
Parents have a right to withdraw their children from RE and/or Collective Worship.