What a remarkable way to begin our school year. During Term 1, weeks 2, 3 and 4, every student from Year 2 to Year 12 at John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School made their way to our Chapel to spend time in prayer and reflection. They encountered prayer spaces which opened possibilities through touch, sight and sound. Age appropriate. Gentle and invitational.

Taking a broadly Christian perspective as a starting point, the prayer spaces provided our children and young people with an opportunity to develop skills of personal reflection and to explore prayer in an open, inclusive and safe environment. Prayer spaces are intentional – designed to give pupils room to make their own meaning and to draw their own conclusions. This happens through the use of age appropriate, engaging and creative activities. It is shaped as an inviting, colourful and interactive space where participants are encouraged to reflect on issues such as forgiveness, injustice, thankfulness, big questions, identity and stillness.

Prayer Spaces are a pathway for students – allowing them to wander through their ideas, beliefs, concepts and issues, connecting as needed with others on the way. It could be described as a ‘mini pilgrimage’, with students travelling from one prayer space to another, lingering, learning and listening to their hearts. For some students, this process soothes the soul. For others, it creates questions or demands reflection. Each student is free to have a unique encounter in their own time of solitude. This special journey is completely invitational and often we do not know where the path will lead.

How Prayer Stations Evolved at JSR
Our Faith Formation team was fully established in 2025. A drawing together of Religious Studies, Service Learning and Chaplaincy; our agenda is to foster faith conversations and experiences throughout our school community. Prayer Spaces (as best expressed by Phil Togwell and Prayer Spaces in Schools) offered a perfect vehicle for our team to come together and offer our students a thoughtful and reflective way to begin their school year. This project was built on previous forays in reflection and quiet.

For example:

• mindfulness for Y8 using the labyrinth at Wollaston Theological College and a bush meditation;
• a four week rotation of experiences for Y12 as part of the Anglican Religious Studies stillness and silence module;
• A number of reflective options in a Year 9 carousel as part of their transition to Senior School
  The combination of Religious Study class time and expertise, with chaplaincy experience in worship and prayer, provided a solid platform for rolling out this ambitious exercise.
  There were a number of elements that required significant amounts of time and resources.
  Namely:
• Putting together the required materials (pine cones, colourful string, mirrors, river stones, prayer tags and so much more) to make the spaces engaging and interesting.
• Programming for so many classes from both Primary and Secondary school to walk to and spend time in the Chapel and then to return to class.
• Making space in what is a busy Chapel calendar for a three week hiatus without interrupting worship services for both the school and the weekend congregations.
• The curation of the spaces by our chaplain and intern.
  The result was eight prayer spaces, offered in our Chapel over a period of three weeks to year 5-12 students and four activities to years 2-4 students.

What Our Students Told Us
The general consensus is that Prayer Spaces were a welcome opportunity for students to find room for reflection and playful rest. We heard this through dialogue after Prayer Space time, staff feedback and an online student survey (with 173 respondents).
Most students found one or more spaces where they connected with the prayer exercise.
Overall, we received a four- star rating.

What We Will Do Next Time
Our future plans include the following:

• Now that we have launched the Prayer Spaces notion with our whole school we intend to incorporate stations occasionally as part of Chapel services.
• We will repeat the intensive incursion for Year 5 & Year 7 in the Chapel at the beginning of 2026.
• We are exploring the creation of some ‘pop up’ prayer spaces in Primary. Together with the feasibility of outdoor prayer spaces, and taking the experience on camp.
• A Christmas 2025 and an Easter 2026 themed prayer space for selective groups.
  This Prayer Space journey has involved a great deal of thoughtful collaboration, intense planning and resourcing and drawn on the goodwill of our entire school community. It has been worth all of that and more.
  Our experience of making space for our children and young people and their individual journeys has been profound.
  Prayer Spaces are here to stay at JSRACS.

Students messages on the Prayer Tree

Have more confidence, seeing friends from old school, no more ADHD or anxiety, stop with the self – hate.
It concerns me that there could be earthquakes and people can get hurt.
Dear Lord, Help my friend to deal with the struggles she currently faces.
I hope I love myself to the fullest and get to know who you are better.
I want to be able to go to bed without crying, have a peaceful sleep and to be able to tell my parents what’s happening.
If you’re reading this, just know that God loves you.
I pray that I can get a bunny.