A pop up prayer space has a specific focus linked to an event in the church or school year, a celebration, a tragedy, or a curriculum focus. It can run for just a day or for a few days. This kind of prayer space is usually in a foyer, atrium, hall or other publicly accessible space within the school so that pupils and staff can access the prayer activity at free times through the school day. Examples include World events, Easter or Christmas, wellbeing enrichment days, beginnings and ends of term, grief and loss, hopes and dreams for a new year or any number of other significant moments in school life.

Students can carry anxiety about circumstances within the school community eg loss of student or teacher or the content they see in the media such as homelessness, war, violence or environmental issues. These events can feel overwhelming and participating in a prayer activity may help them to identify their feelings and take steps to expressing their hopes.