Teaching and Education
History
Teaching and Education have become a very major part of our ministry in the parish over the last five years, with different groups to meet the varied needs of people of all ages.
The Current Situation
St Mary’s 0s to 5s
This is a friendly and welcoming group for all carers and their children under school age. They meet every Thursday morning between 9.30 and 11.30 at the Comrades Club, for which the PCC helps to pay the rental charge. The group offers a wide range of activities for children including books, puzzles, ride-on-toys, a wide variety of 'make believe' toys, as well as art, craft and music sessions. A range of toys and equipment for babies is also available and the ‘new mum corner’ is well attended each week.
Building Blocks
Building Blocks takes place each Monday afternoon during term time at the Baptist Church Centre. It is an inspiring way to start teaching babies and toddlers about Christianity. The heart of Building Blocks is a 15-minute singing session in which basic biblical truths are presented through simple nursery-rhyme type songs. Each song has a visual aid to focus the child’s attention – something to see, hear, touch, smell or taste. Grown-ups also participate, to assist and encourage the children to learn how God made us, loves us, and has a purpose for our lives. In addition to the structured activities, each session includes a time of free play, with a good selection of toys, to encourage the children to interact with one another. Coffee and chat provide opportunities for parents and carers to get to know one another better, to build friendships and to give support.
Children’s Church
Children’s Church is a thriving part of the parish ministry. There are approximately 40 children on the register, with some occasional attendees. Crèche facilities are provided for the 0-3s and teaching groups for the 3-10s in age appropriate sessions.
The teaching is based on resources found in the Roots material and an adapted version of Godly Play is used for some sessions each term. These sessions are led by the Licensed Lay Minister and supported by the leaders, many of whom are enthusiastic about Godly Play. Members of the clergy team who are not actively engaged in the Sung Eucharist participate from time to time.
Children’s Church rejoins the congregation at Sung Eucharist in time for administration of communion. After the final hymn the children enjoy presenting and sharing their morning activities, such as crafts, songs or prayers, with the rest of the congregation, which is well received by all concerned.
Throughout the year Children’s Church is actively involved in many parish activities. Exploratory workshops for children are run on Good Friday. The children participate in activities at the summer fete and Christmas bazaar. The annual pancake race around the church on the first Sunday in Lent is a highlight in the calendar and it raises money for a charity linked to the church.
A few weeks before Advent, regular attendees are presented with an Advent candle as a thank you for their commitment. During Advent members of Children’s Church join the congregation at the start of Sung Eucharist when they are invited to light the Advent candles and think about who each candle represents. This is supported by the hanging of plaques, painted by the children, on the Jesse tree.
The Children’s Crib Service on Christmas Eve, which is very popular within the area, is centred on the story of the nativity presented by members of Children’s Church.
The Vestry Group
'The Vestry Group', a name chosen by the children, is a short opportunity for the older children from year 6 and above to look at the Bible reading for the day, respond to the reading, discuss ethical and life issues that arise and conclude with a time for prayer. The children meet in the clergy vestry, leaving the congregation during the Kyrie/Gloria and returning in time to share the Peace.
The group is led by the Curate, the Licensed Lay Minister and a small, but slowly increasing, number of adult volunteers. The informal nature of the gathering is crucial and remains a strong reason for many of the young people to attend.
The group includes a number of children who are members of the choir or servers. Members of the group take an active part in All-Age Eucharists as readers, or assisting with the talk by the President.
The Youth Group
The Youth Group meets for two hours on Sunday evenings in term time. The leaders share responsibility on a rota basis. Planning is done by one of the young leaders.
The leaders are in contact with the Diocesan Office and have worked with the Youth Officer on several occasions.
Numbers attending the group vary each week from 4 to 12. Content of the meetings include debates and discussions on topical issues, games nights, planning and delivering services run by Youth Group members, talks by visiting speakers, and film nights. Youth Group members, overseen by a leader, run a Fair Trade stall twice a month after the 9.45 service.
A recent innovation is the termly youth service, planned and run by the members of the group, which takes place after Evensong on a Sunday evening.
St Anne’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
The School was built in two phases on a site which is part of a large housing development on the southern edge of the town that was completed about seven years ago. Phase 1 opened in September 1999 with 4 classrooms for a maximum of 110 pupils and a planned admission limit of 18 pupils. Before the school opened it was realised that the demand for places would exceed the admission limit so plans for Phase 2 were put in hand as soon as possible, and the work to provide a further 3 classrooms, a computer suite and a resources room was completed in January 2004.
The Diocese sponsored the school, paid the governors’ share of the cost of building the School (15% in 1999, 10% in 2004) and they are the trustees of the school.
The Governors’ Vision (1998)
St Anne’s Church School should exist for the wider community, not just those who attend the parish church. They would wish to see St Anne’s as being a Christian school that serves the community.
The curriculum, daily worship, staff attitudes, decor, etc. should all foster the ambience of a Christian community, loving and caring for those whom it has charge. However, in the same way that the work of a Christian cannot be sustained without a prayerful and sacramental life, so the work of St Anne’s cannot be sustained unless there are sufficient children from Christian families in order to maintain the ethos.
St Anne’s should have a majority of catchment area places to fulfil the desire “to serve the community”, together with a significant minority of religious preference places “in order to maintain a Christian ethos”.
As a Church can only live and thrive when Christ’s teachings of love, care, forgiveness and understanding are given pre-eminence, so only can our Church School succeed when it excites learning and demonstrates the essential tenets of the Christian faith.
The School has nearly reached its maximum of 210 pupils, and it has been oversubscribed in four of the five years since it opened. Twelve of the 30 places in the Reception class each year are allocated to families with a religious qualification, with first preference to families who worship regularly at the parish church.
The school was inspected by Ofsted in March 2001. The Report described it as a good and improving school. The Section 23 Inspection reported that the school should be commended for:
A member of the clergy team leads a whole school assembly once a week, provides input into RE teaching through class visits to the church, visits to the classroom and celebration of Eucharist in school on Ascension Day. All pupils attend a Christmas Carol Service and an Easter Service in church. Parents and members of the congregation are encouraged to attend the services in church and in the school.
Music is a great strength of the school, and it is the source of most of our young musicians who sing in the church choir and play in the instrumental groups.
The incumbent is an ex-officio foundation governor. The PCC appoints four foundation governors and the Diocese three. There are six representative governors, including the headteacher.
The last incumbent was Vice Chairman and his main participation was in staff appointments and admissions. His two sons attended the school.
The parish uses the school facilities for a variety of activities, including Sunday services during two extended periods when the church was closed while building work was being carried out.
The School is strongly supported by members of the congregation, and it has made a made a significant contribution to developing the ministry of the parish in the last five years.
Godmanchester Community School
The School is located on the east side of the churchyard. It is a 2-form entry school with places for 420 pupils, and its catchment area is the whole of the town less St Anne’s catchment area.
Since the arrival of a new headteacher in January 2000, the clergy team has been providing regular assemblies and the school has held a few services in the church, most notable of which was a service in 2004 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the school opening.
Members of the clergy team provide input into RE teaching through class and year group visits to the church and clergy visits to the classroom.
Adult Education and Learning
There are a number of church groups which cater for adults:
