There are many topics you can offer assemblies on – seasonal ideas such as Christmas and Easter, special days like Holocaust Memorial Day or International Children’s Day, or events in the life of the school such as book week and sport’s day.
There is however, one event that happens in every primary school, every year: year six children leave to go to secondary school. There is a lot that a primary school does to help make year six end well and both primary and secondary schools work together to give children the best possible start in year seven (and facilitate a relatively worryfree summer holiday in between). However, churches have much to offer in this area and many have found that this is where they can constructively help primary schools. And that might start with something like an assembly.
A faith-based assembly, focusing on the events and emotions of moving from primary to secondary school can allow children of all faiths and none to step away from the busy-ness of practical preparations. This space,where children have the permission to address their excitement, concerns and anything in between can be invaluable.
Moreover, there are many stories in the Bible which explore many of the same emotions and life events which 11-year-olds are going through at this time. For example, in Genesis 37–50, Joseph experiences the high and lows of having to start new things and go to new places. He faces change and challenge and has to make choices (not that he always makes the right choice, of course). The start of the book of Daniel sees Daniel and his friends make the right choice about not doing the wrong thing, just because everyone else was doing so. Paul’s nephew has to be brave and do something to help his uncle when he finds out of a plot against Paul’s life (see Acts 23:12–22). These are all exciting stories which can capture children’s imaginations, while giving them a framework through which they can address their feelings about making that big move to big school.
Creating an assembly out of one of these stories (or any of the many others that you can find in the Bible’s pages) involves some simple steps:
- To echo Rev. Steve Tilley’s advice in a previous issue of Premier Childrenswork: tell your Bible story and tell it well. Use some simple props (Joseph’s coat, some vegetables or a Roman soldier’s helmet) to illustrate your story. Employ repeated phrases or questions that children can join in with or answer (‘Did Joseph make the right decision?’, ‘Munch, munch, lovely lunch!’). Ask for volunteers to help you retell the story (though if you re-enact Joseph’s brothers seizing him and throwing him in a well, make sure your assembly doesn’t devolve into violence!).
- Give some space for children to reflect. This is more than a prayer after you have finished your story. Draw some relevant points from your Bible story (making the right choices, being yourself etc) and then ask the children to think about those, or anything else that is rushing through their minds. The end of year six can be a blur of tests, outings, class shows and secondary school visits – children don’t get much time to process what they’re thinking. Providing the chance to be quiet and reflect as part of an assembly can be invaluable.
- Provide or point to some ongoing help. The primary school might already have pastoral help in place for those moving up to secondary school, so find out what that is and remind the children about it. Some churches and schools’ work trusts, already involved in this kind of transition ministry, buy and donate resources to schools. It’s your move, from Scripture Union, is full of help, advice and real-life stories, as well as opportunities for children to meditate on what they are going through. CWR produce YPs guide to starting secondary school, though this is more of a Bible reading guide and so won’t be suitable for all situations.
It might be that there are other churches in your area already doing this kind of ministry – can you join together with them? Many schools’ work trusts also coordinate ministry in their own area. For example, in areas such as Slough and Milton Keynes, churches and schools’ work trusts work together to deliver assemblies and donate resources in dozens of schools, taking teams of year 11 students to give more up-to-date experiences. Why not find out what’s going on around you?
