iShare Learning Themes

At St. Mary’s Hampton School, we are committed to equipping, empowering, and strengthening our children with a solid foundation in biblical principles. Through iShare Learning themes, we inspire thoughtful and respectful responses, fostering growth in our school values. Children are given meaningful opportunities to engage with the teachings of Jesus, exploring their relevance in today’s world and reflecting on how these teachings shape their lives and positively influence the wider community.

Each half term, we introduce core objectives and a corresponding Bible verse, which are thoughtfully embedded into our weekly school life and collective worship. These themes are celebrated with our pupils through iShare buddy activities, culminating in a special event at the end of each half term.

iShare Buddy Activity

Our iShare Buddy initiative pairs older and younger year groups to foster meaningful connections and a sense of community throughout the school. This partnership ensures that KS1 pupils will recognise many familiar faces as they move up through the school, creating a supportive and welcoming environment.

Where possible, children will remain with the same buddy throughout their time at St. Mary’s, building lasting relationships as they grow together. Each half term, the paired classes come together for an iShare Buddy activity, inspired by our iShare Learning worship themes. These gatherings provide a valuable opportunity for older children to act as role models, mentors, and teachers, offering guidance and encouragement to their younger peers.

In addition, children will be invited to attend their buddies’ performances and other special events, further strengthening these important bonds and creating shared memories across the school community.

iShare themes for 2024 – 2025

Autumn 1: Belonging Together

Supporting Bible VerseLet us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us encourage one another. Hebrews 10 vv24-25

Objectives

  • We are all part of different communities – school, church, clubs, our family – and God gives us each other to support and look after.
  • We can help shape our communities by encouraging each other, being kind and helpful.
  • God has given us people in our lives to be together with and it is good to build friendships with each other.
  • Togetherness is shown with shared expectations and routines, which are like the glue that holds us together.

Autumn 2: Peace be with you

Supporting Bible Verse : Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14 v 27

Objectives

  • God wants us to know His peace when we are upset or troubled.
  • There are things we can do to help ourselves and others feel more peaceful.
  • We are all called to be peacemakers with each other.
  • Where there is war in the world or conflict in our lives, we can pray to God to bring His peace.

Spring 1: New Creations

Supporting Bible Verse : Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  1 Corinthians 5 v17

Objectives

  • Every day is a new day to live confidently and create new things – you learn something every day!
  • We are made new in God, so if we have done wrong or made mistakes, we can start again each day.
  • God is a creative God and we can see His new creations each day in the wonder of the world and the new experiences he gives us.

Spring 2: That’s what friends are for

Supporting Bible Verse : A friend loves you all the time. A brother is always there to help you. Proverbs 17v17

Objectives

  • Friends are so important in life and we must not take our friends for granted.
  • To have friends, we need to be a good friend.
  • A good friend is there all the time, in good times and bad, and is able to pray, help and support in times of adversity.
  • Value your friends and make sure you let them know how much they mean to you.
  • Jesus gave his life for us on the cross and has shown he is the greatest friend.

Summer 1: Windows, Mirrors, Doors

Supporting Bible verse : For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has planted eternity in the human heart. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Objectives

  • To understand what is meant by spirituality.
  • To understand people experience spirituality differently through different windows (our encounters), different mirrors (our reflections) and different doors (our transformations and actions).
  • To know that God made us as spiritual beings and it is good to consider our spiritual health alongside our physical and mental health.
  • To understand that Christians believe God’s Holy Spirit can lead, inspire and equip them to develop spiritually.

Summer 2: All you need is love

Supporting Bible Verse : Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13 vv7-8

Objectives

  • God is love and his love is demonstrated in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
  • We are called to love each other unconditionally in the way God loves us.
  • Love is the most important thing which holds together good friendships and relationships.
  • We can demonstrate love we have for others through decisions we make, things we say and how we choose to live our lives.
  • Sometimes we don’t love others as much as we should, but God’s love never fails.