2. I hope you all had a great summer holiday!

3. But now we are back at school and need to be ready for a positive year filled with lots of good effort and hard work!

4. Looking around the hall you may see some new faces – both children and adults! I wonder how they may be feeling?

5. Hopefully they are really excited and happy to be here!!! But...

6. Sometimes being somewhere new can make you feel a bit worried or scared!

7. So, let’s make sure we look out for everyone in our school, but especially those who are new, so that they feel welcome and have plenty of friends to look after them!

8. This year you might notice something different on our playground. This is going to be our ‘friendship bench’. We all have times where maybe the people we like to spend time with are away, or they are playing a game we don’t want to play or maybe we’ve even had a little fall-out with them. Maybe sometimes you think it might be nice to play with someone different. Perhaps you are new to the school and you’re not sure who to play with.

9. Some people are very confident, and they will happily go and ask someone on the play- ground, if they can join in with their game!

10. But some people can be a little shy and may find it harder to ask other people if they can join in!

11. And I am sure that none of us would like to think of anyone feeling alone with no-one to play with in our playground!

12. So, if you’re ever in need of someone to play with and you’re not sure who to ask, go and sit on the friendship bench!

13. And if you see someone sat on the friendship bench, go and invite them to join your game! You could make a new friend and more importantly, you could make some one else very happy!

14. As we begin our new school year, it is also a good idea to remind ourselves of our school rules! Let’s think about the sort of behaviour that we DO want to see around our school!

21. Let’s make our school a place where everyone loves to be!!!

22. Let’s spend a moment in silence now, to take some time to think about what has been said in this assembly. Maybe you can say your own prayer inside your head to ask God to help you with anything you may find difficult this year. We are going to finish now by saying a prayer together. Please join in with as much of the prayer as you can...

23. Dear Lord, Bless us as we start this new year with our friends and teachers. Help us to make the most of every chance we have to start afresh. May we show love to one another. May the new beginning of this school year remind us that you give us chances to start over again and again. Help us to forgive others as we receive your forgiveness. Help us to learn and to work together.

24. Help us to listen when we should and to know the best words when we speak and when it is better not to speak. Help us to be good friends this year. Help us to be patient with ourselves and with others. Bless our school and keep us safe. Be with us as we travel each day. Bless all those who care for us in school and at home. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

26. We were born for greater things We were born to chase Your dreams Come my Lord, awaken holy fire We are turning from our sin We are praying once again Come my Lord, awaken holy fire We are aching for the real thing Hearts are open wide Burn like a star Light a fire in our hearts [x4]

27. Send revival start in us Set Your holy spark in us Send us out in resurrection power History's about to change We are rising once again Send us out in resurrection power We are aching for the real thing Hearts are open wide Burn like a star Light a fire in our hearts [x4]

28. For Your glory For Your fame In this darkness Light a flame... in us Burn like a star Light a fire in our hearts [x12] For Your glory For Your fame In this darkness Light a flame in us