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Chesswood Junior School

Chesswood Junior School

Assemblies

Phase Assembly Strands

Assemblies, first and foremost enable a strong sense of community to develop. Communities work best when all hold the cultural capital to engage positively and confidently, building identity and belonging. Our assemblies focus on four different strands as detailed in the image above. The assemblies cover a range of topics within these strands, all linking to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development for the children.

Phase assemblies are delivered as part of a two-year plan, with some messages repeated every year to reinforce the importance of the message (e.g. PANTS, SMART, Armistice/Remembrance Day), while other messages are delivered in one year and re-visited in the next (e.g. Significant British People). Space is made in the programme for significant events of their time (e.g. the death of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles' Coronation).

Knowledge is the key to assemblies - enabling children to remember more of the facts, themes and ideas discussed - to increase individual's cultural capital and ability to discuss, question and form their own opinions on the information presented.

Phase assembly knowledge

Click on the images below to see the knowledge for each strand. Some areas are still in development and will be updated once completed.  

Strand
Knowledge
People, Places, Events

Our people, places and events assemblies are designed to add breadth to children's knowledge and understanding of the world around them. We seek to combine content that is responsive to arising events now, with people, places and or events at an age appropriate level. However, we also look locally, nationally and internationally over time. The content is flexible and changes over time to ensure it is real, relevant and engaging for children. 

We encourage children to follow-up information from assemblies when they are particularly interested and enthusiastic.

 

PHSE

Our personal, social, health education (PSHE) assemblies are designed to add breadth to children's knowledge and understanding of how to look after themselves effectively and how they can become a positive and effective member of the school, Worthing and national community. We seek to address core topics such as safety and safeguarding; themes relating to Bright Sparks community code; Rights and responsibilities.

We encourage children to follow-up information from assemblies when they are particularly interested and enthusiastic.

Religious Education

Our Religious Education (RE) assemblies are designed to promote values which complement and reinforce four major faiths. We seek to respectfully and inclusively consider beliefs, festivals, worship, world development & history of five major faiths. Our focus is predominantly Christian content, however substantial time is devoted to exploring, understanding, comparing and contrasting with Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. At all times we seek to secure an age appropriate balance for children, so that they may, in time, make an informed choice on their own faith and beliefs. Importantly, we seek to position children to reflect, respect and recognise that understanding and knowledge of their own and others faith and belief can do more to bring communities together - embracing difference and celebrating what may help us stand out, so that we have more in common.

Music

Each week within our whole school assemblies we focus on specific music, musicians and composers. We typically follow the music for a number of weeks to ensure the children are immersed and are able to recognise and recall the sounds and information including wider knowledge of historical, cultural and geographical links. 

 

Can you help?

We are always keen to change and improve assembly content so that it has the best possible impact on children's learning and engagement with different topics. If you feel there is content available that we may have missed please use the form below to help us improve our assembly programme or follow this LINK