On Wednesday 3 June, St Giles Church welcomed Year 6 pupils from Codicote Primary School for a special day of reflection, celebration and preparation for the next stage of their educational journey.

Since the beginning of the academic year, the pupils have been taking part in the Alban Way, a diocesan initiative designed to help young people grow in fruitfulness, resilience and prayerfulness. Throughout the year, Rachel Drury, from the Diocese, and our own vicar, Christie, have led a series of workshops, supporting the

children as they explored these themes.

The visit to St Giles provided an opportunity for the pupils to revisit the spiritual practices they had learned, celebrate their experiences, and reflect on their forthcoming transition from primary to secondary school.

Since its introduction three years ago, the Alban Way programme has engaged more than 500 children across 11 schools within the Diocese, helping young people build confidence, resilience and a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

Members of the St Giles congregation were on hand throughout the day to welcome the children and support Rachel, Christie and the diocesan team in delivering a range of activities. During the morning, the pupils visited four different stations, each designed to build on their learning from the year.

At one station, the children created a trellis framework to support their thoughts and ideas for the future. At another, they identified personal priorities and developed SMART targets to help them achieve their goals. A further activity encouraged them to reflect on the connections they share with others. Using lengths of wool, they discovered how experiences, interests and preferences link us together—becoming delightfully tangled in the process!

At the final station, the pupils created personalised keepsakes by drawing around their hands and recording five guiding principles to take with them into the future. These handprints will be baked at home to create keyrings that can be attached to their new school bags—a lasting reminder of a very special day and the exciting journey ahead.

The weather was kind, allowing the children to enjoy time outdoors between activities, including visits to the church sheep, who were grateful recipients of plenty of fresh grass. Back inside, the pupils enthusiastically demolished a well-earned pizza lunch before setting off on a scavenger hunt, searching every nook and cranny of the church for clues.

The afternoon concluded with a period of quiet reflection, after which Mrs Pollard, school staff and members of the congregation joined the pupils to hear about the day's activities and celebrate all that they had achieved.

It was a truly joyful occasion and a privilege to spend time with such thoughtful, enthusiastic and inspiring young people in their church. We wish them every blessing as they prepare for the exciting transition to secondary school.