Assemblies

At VPA, we believe that assemblies are vital for cultural development. If you walk through our halls on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon, you’ll feel a distinct shift in energy. There’s a buzz of anticipation, a settling of feet, and then—togetherness.

Our school assemblies are so much more than just a routine gathering to tick a box. They are the heartbeat of our school community. Twice a week, they give us a dedicated space to pause, connect and remember our Victoria Promise.

Monday Mornings: Setting the Tone and Building Character

We kick off every week together, and our Monday assemblies are all about reflection, growth, and looking out for one another. We always start by grounding ourselves in British Values and Protected Characteristics, ensuring our children understand equality, respect and community from the very beginning.

From there, we dive into our PSHE topics. Rather than using generic, off-the-shelf lessons, our Monday topics are completely responsive to the needs of our school at that exact moment. Over the past year, we’ve explored big, vital themes together, including:

• Resilience: Learning how to bounce back when things get tough.

• Sportsmanship: How to be a gracious winner and a supportive teammate.

• Being a Good Friend: What it truly means to look after one another.

• Reporting Bullying: Giving our children the voice and confidence to speak up.

It’s a time for open discussion about school life, helping our pupils develop the empathy and social awareness they need to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

Friday Afternoon: Celebration and Song

Our Friday assembly is a high-energy celebration of everything our children have achieved throughout the week.

We love this time because it gives every single child the chance to shine and share in each other’s success. The excitement is palpable as we hand out our five coveted weekly certificates:

1. Homework Hero

2. Star of the Week

3. Teacher’s Award

4. Maths Monster

5. Star Reader

We always close our week by raising the roof with a big school sing-along. There is truly nothing better than hearing the voices of our entire school community lifted together in song before heading into the weekend.

Inspiring Visitors and Broadening Horizons

Beyond our regular routines, assemblies are also a window to the wider world. We frequently welcome exciting guest speakers and workshops into school. Whether we are rocking out with Rock Steady, diving into tech with Barefoot Computing or learning from local community heroes, these guest assemblies spark new passions and show our pupils what is possible.

A Time to Gather, Share, and Shine

Ultimately, assemblies are the anchor of our school week. In a busy school week, they provide a vital space where we gather as one family to celebrate success, support one another through challenges and remind ourselves of who we are.

Thank you to all our pupils for making these moments so vibrant, and to our families for supporting everything your children achieve each week!