Prayer and worship is a fundamental part of the fabric of life at Coloma.
Each day begins with morning prayer in Form Time, which links with the Seasons of the Church’s year as well as key global and school events. Once a week, our students in Years 7-11 meet together with their Year Group for a Celebration of the Word. This is a student-led prayer service which usually focuses on the Gospel for the previous Sunday. Our Sixth Form students have an assembly once a week, which includes a time of collective prayer.
In October 2024, a group of our students worked together to prepare a set of prayers for each subject taught at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, and all lessons begin either with this prayer or the Coloma Prayer.
Weekly Mass takes place in the School Chapel at 8am on Tuesdays and is open to all pupils and staff members, with a different Tutor Group taking responsibility for this Mass each week.
Key moments in the life of the Church and the school are marked with either Mass or other Liturgies; these include the Welcome Masses for Years 7 & 12, Celebrations of the Word to mark Advent, Christmas, Lent & Easter, the Leavers’ Mass for Years 11 & 13 and the end of year Masses of Thanksgiving.
Our School Chapel is open before school and at lunchtimes, and students and staff are invited to spend time there in quiet prayer and reflection whenever they would like to.
Other opportunities for students to meet together for prayer in the chapel are arranged at various times throughout the year, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available in Advent and Lent.
The Coloma Prayer is an important prayer within our community and is prayed during assemblies and other occasions when the students are gathered together.
Direct, O Lord, our actions by your Holy Inspiration, and carry them on by your divine assistance, so that every prayer and work of ours may always begin through you and by you be happily ended.
Amen
Our students undertake acts of charity throughout the school year in a variety of ways, guided by many members of staff. In recent years, this has included a collection of items for a local foodbank in Advent, joining with Cafod’s Walk for Lent, and raising money for the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, the Sickle Cell Society and Coloma School in Uganda.
Volunteering is an important part of our community and pupils and staff are frequently provided with opportunities to volunteer within school time such as supporting younger pupils with literacy, leading sports and extracurricular activities. In Year 12, all students have an opportunity to form part of our HCPT service group, Group 703, who travel on pilgrimage to Lourdes each Easter to be of service to others.