Supporting Spiritual Life in School

When: Friday 3rd October 2014, 10:30am-4:30pm
Where: Church House, Holy Trinity Brompton, Brompton Road, London, SW7 1JA
Price: £15
Website: http://www.prayerspacesinschools.com/news/item/day2014

In 2007 and 2008 24-7 Prayer received stories from four creative prayer rooms that had been set up in local schools. Two years later, in an effort to offer encouragement, resources and support, 'Prayer Spaces in Schools' was born. Those first four prayer spaces have now multiplied into more than 900 in primary and secondary schools across the UK and into other countries too, including Germany, Malta, Austria, South Africa and New Zealand. (And those 900 prayer spaces are just the ones that we've tracked and supported... we're certain that there have been many more.)

Increasing numbers of schools and local churches are now working together to set up these temporary (and sometimes permanent) prayer spaces, to offer opportunities for students to reflect on, and engage with, their spiritual lives and to receive pastoral support. Along with the fantastic opportunities that prayer spaces offer, come many challenges and questions... and that's what the Prayer Spaces in Schools Development Days are all about - time to pause, listen, reflect, question, discuss, think and develop better practice. And drink coffee!

Our theme for this year's Development Days is 'Supporting Spiritual Life in School', and we'll be hosting these annual events in London on Friday 3rd October, and in York on Monday 13th October. The programme will be the same in both locations, but will involve different keynote speakers and practitioners.

In London, we're delighted to welcome Graham Sims, an ex-Head teacher and one of the UK's most experienced Ofsted inspectors, and Jane Whittington, another ex-Head teacher, who now works with church schools in the Guildford Diocese around their Spiritual Development and Christian Distinctiveness. Jane also pioneered one of the first four prayer spaces back in 2007.

In York, we equally delighted to welcome Lat Blaylock, an ex-RE and humanities teacher, who is now the editor of RE Today and consults widely with schools, SACREs and Local Authorities. Lat has been a good friend and informal advisor to Prayer Spaces in Schools since it began.

More details about speakers and about the programme will be revealed over the coming weeks, so please keep an eye on our website, Facebook and Twitter pages for all the news!

Bookings are now open - we'd love you to join us.

_{Source: http://www.prayerspacesinschools.com/news/item/day2014}