Godly Play For Schools

If you are a teacher who wants to help children

Slow down the pace Listen and wonder Make connections Be creative and imaginative Build community

Then Godly Play could be for you! Use it as a tool for

Religious education · Collective worship · Spiritual and Moral Development · PSHE · Citizenship · Emotional and social competence · Creativity

Godly Play provides an imaginative approach to religious education that …·

• Promotes knowledge,skills empathy,values, spiritual growth.·
• Develops the needs of the whole child: mind, body and spirit·
• Provides a multisensory approach to learning·
• Develops language and communication skills·
• Gives everyone the opportunity to speak for themselves·
• Develops thinking skills·
• Provides depth and reflection in every session·
• Gives time for learning·
• Promotes originality, independent choice and decision making·
• Uses visual, auditory and kinaesthetic approaches to learning

Creating a special time and place

Godly Play involves creating a special time and space in which children can encounter and engage with religious story. The teacher and the children create a circle that becomes a safe place for learning in which new ideas and experiences can be share. The pace of the lesson is slowed down to allow time to appreciate and explore the story in greater depth. Using a quiet voice creates a calm and reflective atmosphere.

Well designed materials

The materials used to tell Godly Play stories are well designed, simple and beautifully made many from different natural woods. The storyteller models the careful handling of the materials for the children. Keeping eyes on the materials and not having eye contact with the children may seem hard at first but by trusting the process the materials tell their own story and by focussing on the story the children’s attention is also drawn and held.

I wonder

When the story is finished re-engaging eye contact with the children invites response to the open question ‘I wonder’. The replies are endless as the children are encouraged to explore beyond the immediate responses – all responses are valued, and so begins an interplay of creative and imaginative thoughts and ideas.

Responding creatively

Following time in the circle the children are given a range of art materials to use to think more about the story and their response to it. This enables the wondering to continue helping them to think things through for themselves. This may involve painting, drawing, reading, using the computer or even retelling the story by using the materials for themselves. It is important to stand back and let the children explore their own ideas and to make meaning for themselves.

Beginnings and endings

Endings are as important as beginnings and by re gathering the children in the circle an opportunity is given for children to share their ideas or their work. Sharing simple food together becomes a feast and helps builds the sense of community.

Godly Play and the RE Syllabus

Godly Play is not an evangelistic tool, it encourages independent thinking and the sharing of ideas. It clearly meets the two attainment targets outlined in the locally agreed syllabus for R.E.

Godly Play works with four genre –

Godly Play Lessons for Key Stage 1 may include:

Godly Play Lessons for Key Stage 2 may include:

In Oxfordshire pupils study Christianity and two other World religions. The lessons for Creation, Abraham, Moses and the 10 commandments are equally applicable to the study of Judaism. Lessons on the synagogue may also be included. All the lessons are geographically correct in their lay out.

Evaluating the use of Godly Play in Schools