Primary School Mission Process

We feel that our Primary School Missions are most effective when held alongside Parish Missions.  Our experience proves that much greater links and involvement can be made when missions are done together like this.  

We aim to reach out to all those who are connected in any way with the school - children, staff (including non-teaching staff), governors, parents and wider family members - presenting the Gospel message in a modern, lively and stimulating way in order to encourage all concerned to take a fresh look at our faith and how to live it more deeply.

Our work in primary schools is very much a celebration of faith, an enriching of the learning and experience that already goes on in our Catholic schools.  It is an opportunity for schools to focus on their key values for a week, to take time out and explore God and faith in ways that may be new, and certainly with people that are new to them!

We work, share and celebrate with children and adults too, staff, parents and governors.

Pre-Mission

If you decide to book a mission with us, one of our team will arrange to visit your school at a mutually convenient time for a pre-mission meeting with the Headteacher and/or RE Coordinator, in order to plan the mission week with you. This will also be an opportunity for us to have a quick tour of the school to see what work spaces you have available that might be useful during the mission. The meeting normally takes an hour to an hour and a half, including the tour. For retreat days or 2-day visits, the planning will probably be done via email/telephone.

The Mission Week

Our Primary School Mission Coordinator will agree the exact timetable with you, but normally each morning will include separate assemblies for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils. The mission team will then work with smaller groups of pupils to lead classroom prayers, answer pupils' questions, and to prepare short performance routines with groups of Key Stage 2 pupils. These routines will be exhibited to Key Stage 1 pupils during a dress rehearsal towards the end of the week, and to parents invited to attend on Friday afternoon. Other usual elements include a short time for staff prayer before the start of each school day and encounters with parents at the school gates, where possible offering hot drinks to parents each morning. The week may conclude with a Mass celebrated by your parish priest or a Sion Community priest.

Post-Mission

We currently offer a free post-mission CD, which is given to the school during the mission week, as a way of keeping alive the mission themes with the children post-mission – it has some activities which can be done together in class and features ‘Bert and Engel’, two puppet characters whom the children meet during the mission week!
 
We can also offer follow-up retreat days, either for the whole school, or for specific year groups, e.g. the Year 6 children.
 
We are also always happy to hear from you if we are able to be of assistance to you in any other way.

Family Days and Family Camp

Sion Community also runs events for families at its residential centre in Brentwood, Essex. These include an annual Family Camp and several Family Days in the course of the year. Age-appropriate activities are provided for parents, children and other family members, including Mass, guided prayer, supervised games and shared mealtimes.