ACT PRAYER POINTS

WEEK COMMENCING 27 SEPTEMBER

“The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.”
Psalm 145:17–19 NIV

Ofsted inspections and school accountability

This week sees the Labour Party Conference taking place in Liverpool, with education among the areas being discussed. Let’s pray for wisdom for all those involved in shaping education policy, whatever their political party or position.

• Pray for constructive collaboration between government, Ofsted and schools, that reviews and reforms would genuinely make things better rather than add unnecessary pressure.

• Pray for a fair and proportionate accountability system that protects the wellbeing of headteachers, teachers and school staff, while maintaining high academic standards.

• Pray that pupils and parents would receive a fair deal, with schools supported to provide a high-quality education and held appropriately accountable for the standards they achieve.

• Pray for wisdom, humility and careful listening for everyone involved in education reform, and that political decisions would be guided by what best serves children and young people.

AI and education

The growing use of AI in schools brings both opportunities and challenges. Pray for wisdom as schools seek to help pupils navigate this changing landscape.

• Pray for wisdom and safety in the use of AI in schools, including as pupils are taught how to use these tools responsibly.

• Pray that pupils would see AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for learning, developing their own knowledge, understanding and critical thinking.

• Pray that schools would continue to value and develop human skills such as communication, creativity, relationships, resilience and practical ability.

Education reform

• Pray for wisdom for all those responsible for education policy and reform, that they would listen carefully to those working in schools and consider the impact of changes on pupils and staff.

• Pray that reforms would support teachers and leaders while protecting academic standards, helping schools to flourish rather than placing unnecessary burdens on them.

• Pray that, whatever the political climate, the needs of children and young people would remain at the heart of decisions about education.