This section offers some ideas for ways to mark the anniversary – remember to check the events calendar too, as this will also provide inspiration from other parts of the country.
Collect for 2011 from Steve Dixon, Children’s Work Adviser in Manchester:
Loving Father, who sent your Son Jesus to be our teacher, we thank you for all who have followed his command to teach your ways to the world, and especially for those who have done so in church schools down the years. Help us to live by what we have been taught, that in our lives we may pass on the teaching we have received. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Feel free to be as creative as you like when planning an event – all we ask is that you ‘brand’ the event in any promotional literature or material by including the official logo. For more details, see our ‘branding guidance’ section.
St Barnabas and St Philip’s school have some ideas, but are looking for more. Can anyone help?
Asking your bishop or other senior clergy what they have planned for the bicentenary: could they tour as many schools in their diocese as possible, or they could perhaps go ‘back to school’ themselves and sit in on a day’s lessons;
Marking the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible at the same time, perhaps by local churches donating inscribed copies of that Bible to each student currently at their school;
Holding a futuristic design competition using lots of imagination to consider how your school building might look in 200 years’ time;
Hosting a Victorian-themed tea party or dinner dance with appropriate food and music – and of course, insist on fancy dress!;
Mounting a display on the founding of your school and the history of the relationship between it and the local church;
Releasing 200 (biodegradable) helium balloons with prayers written by students on the tags and offer a prize for the person who sends back the tag from furthest away or whose tag is returned from the furthest away;
Hosting a ‘question time’ event with former pupils of various ages: perhaps one now studying at university, one living locally raising a family, one who has travelled widely, one who has retired, etc;
Planting a new section of garden at your school or churchyard with fruit trees or a vegetable plot; or create a quiet space as a joint initiative between church and school, perhaps under a pergola with benches, wind chimes, etc;
Holding a community litter-pick event or painting a mural design on an appropriate wall to ‘give something back’ to the local community, and mount a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion;
Ensuring that there is a ‘church stall’ at the school summer fayre and vice versa, with fun activities or tasty home-baked treats on offer to help raise funds for the relevant organisation.
Finding out about well-known people who are or were pupils at your school – soldiers, athletes, singers, politicians . . . Get in touch with those still living and ask for their memories of the school
Click here for more ideas that have particular curriculum links with Religious Education
If you have a bright idea, why not share it with us by dropping us an email? We’ll add the best suggestions to this page!
Inspiration for your celebrations
This section offers some ideas for ways to mark the anniversary – remember to check the events calendar too, as this will also provide inspiration from other parts of the country.
Collect for 2011 from Steve Dixon, Children’s Work Adviser in Manchester:
Loving Father,
who sent your Son Jesus to be our teacher,
we thank you for all who have followed his command
to teach your ways to the world,
and especially for those who have done so
in church schools down the years.
Help us to live by what we have been taught,
that in our lives we may pass on the teaching we have received.
We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Feel free to be as creative as you like when planning an event – all we ask is that you ‘brand’ the event in any promotional literature or material by including the official logo. For more details, see our ‘branding guidance’ section.
St Barnabas and St Philip’s school have some ideas, but are looking for more. Can anyone help?
Ideas we have heard about so far include:
Click here for more ideas that have particular curriculum links with Religious Education
If you have a bright idea, why not share it with us by dropping us an email? We’ll add the best suggestions to this page!