This pack of nine assemblies is suitable for Key Stages 1 and 2, and includes ideas for Harvest and Christmas.

So often in school, at home, on TV, we hear people say "That’s rubbish". We also see people being put down, rejected and treated like rubbish. These assemblies explore these issues and how we can deal with things and people that others see as rubbish.

We discover that Jesus was himself rejected and treated as ‘rubbish’ by the people of the time. However, many people did believe in Jesus and went to look for him. Some went for hope, others went to ask questions. We look at the stories of people, such as Nicodemus, the ‘mad’ Gadarene, and the ten lepers.

An important aspect is the quality of ‘access’ the material provides. Just as Jesus was accessible, so too we want both the introductions, and the stories and analogies to be accessible to children of all primary ages  including those of lower ability, for whom more complex ideas are sometimes lost. Many of the assemblies are built around bins. It is useful for the audience to see a real bin (ideally a new bin bought for the purpose - so you can safely put objects inside without worrying about health issues). An alternative is a strong black bin liner.

It is hoped that this theme will be a learning opportunity for the whole school to appreciate each child in the community, accepting that none are ‘rubbish’.