Summer Holidays

A leavers’ assembly presented by the children

by Jan Edmunds (revised, originally published in 2009)

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To look at how the end of the school year brings changes for many children (SEAL theme: Changes).

Preparation and materials

• This assembly is intended to be presented by the children, so you will need 18 readers (or more if you choose to use a different set of children to read the prayer in the ‘Time for reflection’ part of the assembly). Positioning of the readers is important for this assembly, so they will need time to rehearse.

• Prepare 18 pieces of A4 card. On one side, write the relevant words for each reader to say. On the reverse side of 13 of the cards, write an individual letter for the acrostic SUMMER HOLIDAY. Prepare further cards depending on the number of extra readers to be used.
  

• Optional: you may wish to display relevant pictures, photographs, illustrations or items as each line is spoken, in which case you will also need the means to do so.

Assembly

Reader 1: Good morning, everyone. We have reached the end of another school year.

Reader 2: Some of us will not be coming back after the holiday because we will be going to a new school and making new friends.

Reader 3: S is for the school year we’ve all enjoyed together.

Reader 4: U is for the uniform we’ve all been proud to wear.

Reader 5: M is for the music and the songs we’ve sung.

Reader 6: M is for the memories we shall take away with us.

Reader 7: E is for the exams we’ve taken to test what we have learned.

Reader 8: R is for the relationships and friendships we’ve made.

Reader 9: H is for the happy times we’ve all spent together.

Reader 10: O is for all the occasions we’ve shared, such as school visits, sports day and special times.

Reader 11: L is for all the lessons we’ve learned.

Reader 12: I is for interest in the stories and things we’ve discovered.

Reader 13: D is for the days we’ve spent in this school and the lasting friendships we’ve made.

Reader 14: A is for all the activities we’ve enjoyed.

Reader 15: Y is for the years we’ve spent in this school and the influence they have had upon our lives.

Reader 16 (pointing to the completed words): At last, we come to the end of another school year and can all look forward to our summer holiday.

Time for reflection

Reader 17: Let us ask God to watch over us, especially those who will be leaving. Let us ask him to keep us all safe during the holiday.

Reader 18: We give thanks for the past school year, for the friends we have made and the lessons we have learned.

The following prayer could be led by a group of remaining children or the lines could be split and spoken by individuals.

Prayer
This is our school.
Let everyone always be happy here.
Let our school always be full of joy.
Let love and care continue to be here every day:
Love for one another,
Love for all people everywhere,
Love for life itself,
And love for God.
Let us remember
That as many hands build a house
So every child can help to make this school a lovely place.
Amen.

Song/music

‘One more step’ (Come and Praise, 47)