Over 1300 pupils from the Church schools across the Diocese of York came together for the annual Diocesan Leavers’ services in Northallerton, Beverley, Selby and Scarborough. These ‘in person’ services, the first since 2019, were a great opportunity to bring pupils together as part of the family of Church schools to celebrate their time at primary or infant school and look forward to what comes next in their education journey.
On the theme of Stepping Forward, pupils were led by students from the four Church secondary schools who shared drama, songs, prayers and reflections based on the account of Jesus walking on the water in Matthew 14. Each service was led by a different group of students including musicians and choirs that led singing which filled each of the churches where the services were held. As they prepared to ‘step forward’, the Year 6 and Year 2 pupils brought with them a footprint on which they gave thanks for things they will miss in their current school as well as thinking of things they were looking forward to or were worried about as they prepare to move to a new school. The children’s reflections and prayers were brought out in the service to create a pathway on the floor around the churches with footprints taken from church to church for each service over the week, joining each service with the next.