This looks a really amazine piece of work - where do we get the details of how Jason used it? (not buying Youthwork enough, me) I think the idea of identity (in all the RE syllabuses of course) is a great one - working wit htis concept, faith becomes relevant to everyone, and 11-16s are spending their daily time thinking and acting out their answers to ‘who am I?’ questions. Jesus asked: ‘who do other people say that I am?’
In the run up to half term we ran a prayer room in one of the high schools I regularly work in in Leeds. We ran lessons for RE looking at prayer and spirituality and I was constantly overwelmed by the depth pupils were willing to share in front of a class of peers. Both staff and students commented on how much pupils had to deal with, having read their shared prayers. Their desire, a desperation even, for someone to be listening. I used the resources I found on schoolswork.co.uk with those in the 24-7 pack, which made the bringing together of activites much easier. God was in it all otherwise it just wouldn’t have happened, and I look forward to hearing the stories of answered prayer as I return to school this term. If you’re thinking of running a room, push some doors, talk to some people, visit a running prayer room in school, these guys at schoolswork and 24-7 are great support and there might even be someone doing the same local to you too!
What a great poem - James has summed up the feeling i know so well as somebody who has spent years doing Christian assemblies in both primary and secondary school…
“Well Done James”
Please don’t let your ink become dry as i am sure there are many more great odes in you that need to be put onto paper.
Rev Richard Pidgley
Discovery Church - Swindon
i work in a primary school as a TA, often there is conflict.
so my comment would be one aimed at children taking responsibility for their own actions-because it’s always someone elses fault.
“what could you do different towards someone that might prevent a falling out?”
“what good, kind or nice thing have you done today that has helped someone else?”
I never got a valentines card when I went to school. It didn’t bother me. I say its just harmless fun.
great encouragement in christian schools work. just shows how effective we can be without realising it !!!!
Sounds great. Nice one!
Amy your short course on assemblies was brilliant! My fav was the Russian doll assembly, its such a good idea
Thanks for letting us know Becky, sounds like a significant week for the school and makes all the prep you put in worthwhile! Look forward to hearing what happens from here!
I used this brilliant resource last year in the end of term services for several different year groups. I was able to use all of the resources (slightly adapted) and they provided a powerful and engaging framework for sharing the message of Easter. Thank you so much for producing this resource and the excellent value it represents. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone else.
How to blog
First, some explanation about how membership works on schoolswork.co.uk.
If you’re not a member, you can’t create a new post on the blog, but you can comment on an existing posting. However, your comment will need to be approved by one of the editors at schoolswork.co.uk before it shows up on the site. This can take anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours (or days if we’re really busy!). We do this to prevent inappropriate or offensive material being posted.
If you register as a member, you can comment on existing posts and create your own new posts, but they will need to be approved in the same way.
Members can be upgraded to authors at any time. Authors can post immediately on the site without waiting for approval. We are happy to upgrade members to authors if you’ve posted a couple of times or if you or your organisation are known to us. We hope you understand the need to have some restrictions to safeguard the site in this way.
To submit a blog entry click on ‘post to blog’, and to comment on an existing blog post simply scroll down to the bottom of the post and fill in your comment in the box.
Happy blogging!
Information leaflets for Young People
As part of our bus ministry, we would like to have leaflets available for young people to take away with them that would have a strong Christian ethos (not necessarily “Christian”). Leaflets would be on bullying, sexual health, alcohol, drugs and parental separation to name a few. Would you be able to help us find a supplier?
gone camping…
I hope this blog post finds you enjoying the start of the summer holidays, whether for you that means more office time, time off, going away, or spending more time with young people but in different settings. For me it is about to be two weeks of summer camps with young people from our schools in Luton. So, as much as I would like to be writing more on this blog and updating numerous other parts of the site*, these next two weeks belong to the young people. Will see you sometime in August if we survive!

*As I mentioned in a recent member’s email, there will be big changes and updates coming to the site over the next few months, so do come back and visit later on in August and in the coming months to find out what that is all about.
Education and schools work update

Headlines from the world of education and schools work in the last week.
Schools Out/ Opportunities for service
Results day for hundreds of thousands of 16-18 year olds on August 20 & 27. If you know of any 18 year olds starting Uni. in the autumn who can get to Reading or Southampton on 19 September they may well find a very useful day of input from Fusion
http://www.fusion.uk.com/PaymentGroup/Registration.aspx?payment_group_id=379
Also, there are some urgent gaps for service on some Scripture Union holidays in the coming weeks - If you know anyone that might like the chance to serve contact Hannah Edmunds - Hannahe@scriptureunion.org.uk 01908 856136
Have a great summer and may there be time to rest - relax and be renewed. God bless
Wayne Dixon
Education and schools work update

Headlines from the world of education and schools work in the last few weeks.
life is an adventure…
New clips available on ‘Wing Clips’ include scenes from the new Pixar movie ‘Up’. If you do need new inspiration for an end of year assembly, you could take part of the story from this movie as a theme for talking about unexpected adventures.

Something I find is that children/young people going into the summer holidays are so excited for them to begin, and then for some, after a week or so, they’re really bored and are wishing they were back at school again. There’s some clips you could use on wingclips from this film, but probably more helpful is looking at the story itself. Here’s a quote from Director/Writer Pete Docter:
“We came up with this image of a floating house held aloft by balloons, and it just seemed to capture what we were after in terms of escaping the world. We quickly realised that the world is really about relationships, and that’s what Carl comes to discover.”
End of year assemblies
Doing an end of term assembly? Already done some? It would be great to hear stories of what’s going on in people’s experiences. I know the end of term is probably only a matter of days away now, but I know some people are still looking for last minute ideas for an assembly, so it would be good to share some if we have them…
(almost!)Young people and the media
There is currently a symposium running up in Durham aboutChristianity in digital space, will be good to hear things that have come out of the that and conversations that are going on around faith and media. Although I guess due to the nature of these conversations, you can already join in digitally and see what is going on! Check out the stuff here.
Interestingly yesterday there was a report from a 15 year old in the Guardian, giving a summary of the way young people are using media. Thanks to Ian for the link. It’s probably very much along the lines of what we already know about young people,
but for me it was a reminder at how quickly things change.
Even a year ago, not many young people had heard of Facebook. It was either MySpace or Bebo. Now FB is considered the predominant social networking site around even with young people. Not quite sure why it seems to have caused such a stir, but have a look and see what you think here.
If you could ask God one question…
I’m loving the SoulPancake site. Here’s a vox pop of questions for God:
Check out Life’s Big Questions. Might give you some food for thought in your schoolswork.
Sundials and poetry anyone?
Wow, this is a great idea I noticed over at SoulPancake. We’ve been talking recently in Luton about some creative installations that could work in a school, now if we just lived in a country that got enough sun, this would be perfect!












