One Step Closer by Ruth Kenward - 7 to 12 yrs - KS2  (2m 03s)

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Theme  -  Resolving conflict, forgiveness 
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Story  -  by John Kenward  (approx 7 mins)

Extract: 
Sophie and her younger sister Jenny arrived home from school on Friday in the worst of moods.  Sophie was in Year 6. She’d been hoping to get the lead part in the school play, but her arch rival Claire had proved to be the successful candidate at the audition, and now Sophie was having a big sulk. Jenny was fed up too, because she’d missed her playtimes, having been noisy in class.

All the way home Sophie had been grumbling about not being chosen for the lead part.  She was convinced she had the best singing voice. Jenny, meanwhile, had been blaming her classmates for getting her into trouble.  Then both girls started arguing as to who’d had the worse deal, and by the time they reached their street they were having one of their regular full-blown arguments.

Matters got worse when they found a note by their front door from their Mum, saying she was in bed with the flu, and that the key was in the usual place. On the kitchen table was another note.  It said: ‘Please make yourselves some sandwiches and a drink – Dad should be back in time from work to take you to the school disco tonight.  Pop up and say a quick hello – love Mum.’
‘Oh no!’  groaned Sophie, ‘Mum was going to do my hair and make it all special.’
‘Yeah,’ whined Jenny, ‘and she was going to do my make up.’

They went into their parents’ bedroom to find Mum huddled under her duvet looking very poorly.  She could only whisper a soft hello. 
Despite her mother’s illness Sophie blurted out: 'But who’s going to sort out my hair for the disco?’  ‘And my make up – you promised to help me.’  added Jenny.
Their mum sighed and answered in a croaky voice, ‘You’ll have to help each other, and, PLEASE, no arguing.  Off you go.’ 
The girls looked at each other in horror, then made their way down the stairs...  

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Song  -  by Ruth Kenward 

A sweet, uplifting song about resolving conflict and forgiveness. Often the first step can be the hardest when it comes to tackling problems, or forgetting the past and moving on.  The optional harmony and counterpoint parts make this a lovely song for junior choir, as well as general singing. (Sample on the audio player above.)

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Reflection Points  -  samples

1.  Why do you think Sophie and Jenny argued so much?

2.  What steps did the sisters take to get closer to each other?  

3.  If you are in an argument with someone and you know you are right, is it important who wins?  

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This assembly is from 'Assemblies Alive KS2'. There is a parallel assembly for KS1 'The Blame Game' with the same theme in 'Assemblies Alive KS1'.