Designing a Curriculum Framework for School Prayer: A Case Study from UK Jewish Primary Schools

This article aims to describe the development of a curriculum framework for prayer in UK centrist orthodox Jewish primary schools. This process began in 2011 and continues in an ongoing way. This is the first time that there has been a communal effort across Jewish schools that focuses on this area of the curriculum. The impetus for such a framework arose following interviews with headteachers, parents, teachers, and students in Jewish schools about the aims and purposes of prayer in the Jewish day school. It also includes observations of prayer services in these schools. The qualitative research methodology adopted enabled the collection of rich descriptive data that formed the basis for the design of the framework. Subsequently materials have been written in line with the framework. It is hoped that this research will be of value to all faith schools and those interested in school prayer.