Ruby’s Worry - Tom Percival Assembly for Primary Schools
Updated: Sep 24
This Ruby’s Worry assembly uses Tom Percival’s much-loved picture book to explore worries and the courage it can take to talk about how we are feeling.
Designed for EYFS and Key Stage 1, the assembly combines storytelling, discussion and reflection to help children recognise that worries are something we all experience and that talking to somebody we trust can help.
Assembly Theme: COURAGE
Suitable for: EYFS and Key Stage 1
This resource is part of our Tom Percival assemblies for primary schools and our wider collection of Books & Stories assemblies, using brilliant children’s literature as a starting point for exploring values, feelings and experiences.
What is Ruby’s Worry about?
Ruby’s Worry tells the story of a happy and adventurous little girl who one day discovers a Worry.
At first the Worry is quite small, but the more Ruby tries to ignore it, the bigger it becomes. Before long, it follows her everywhere and begins to stop Ruby enjoying the things she normally loves.
Eventually, Ruby discovers that talking about her Worry can make a difference.
Like many of the books featured in our Books & Stories assembly collection, the story gives children a safe and accessible way to explore an important subject through the experiences of a character.
How does the assembly explore courage?
Courage does not always mean doing something dramatic or fearless. Sometimes courage can be as simple as telling somebody that something is bothering us.
Children consider why talking about our worries can sometimes feel difficult, who we might speak to when something is troubling us and how sharing our feelings with somebody we trust can help.
The assembly does not ask children to disclose their own worries publicly. Instead, Ruby’s story provides some distance, allowing children to explore the theme while thinking about what they could do if they needed help.
This makes Ruby’s Worry a particularly useful addition to our primary school assemblies about values, showing children a quieter, everyday example of what courage can look like.
Using books to explore big ideas
Picture books can provide a brilliant starting point for primary school assemblies. Children can explore feelings, choices and relationships through a character before being invited to think about what the story might mean for them.
Our Books & Stories assemblies for primary schools take familiar and engaging books and use them to open up conversations about values and experiences that matter to children.
Ruby’s Worry focuses on courage and worries, while other assemblies in the collection explore themes including honesty, acceptance, friendship, self-control and belonging.
What is included?
The ready-to-use assembly includes a PowerPoint presentation and accompanying instructions, with key vocabulary, an introductory activity, opportunities for discussion, reflection questions and a final thought for children to take away.
As with all of our ready-to-use primary school assemblies, the planning is built into the presentation so that teachers can quickly see what to do and adapt the assembly for their own children.
Optional Christian collective worship slides are also included and can simply remain hidden when they are not required.
Collective Worship
The optional collective worship section links Ruby’s experience to Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Children explore the idea that Jesus experienced worry and distress and consider what Christians might learn from the story about difficult feelings, prayer and asking for help.
The section includes a simple Bible link, opportunities for reflection and a short WORRY prayer. Schools looking specifically for worship resources can also explore our collective worship plans for primary schools
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Do I need a copy of Ruby’s Worry?
Yes. This assembly has been designed to be used alongside a copy of Ruby’s Worry by Tom Percival.
The presentation does not reproduce the book or replace the original story. Instead, the activities, questions and reflections help you build an assembly around it.
If you enjoy using children’s literature in this way, you can find more titles in our Books & Stories primary assembly collection.
About Tom Percival
Tom Percival is a British author and illustrator whose picture books often explore feelings, relationships and experiences children encounter as they grow up.
His stories approach important subjects in an accessible and child-friendly way, making them particularly useful as starting points for discussion and reflection with younger children.
Books including Ruby’s Worry, Perfectly Norman and Meesha Makes Friends explore themes such as worries, acceptance, friendship and belonging. We have brought six of his books together in our growing Tom Percival assembly collection, with each assembly focusing on a different value.
Explore more Tom Percival assemblies
Ruby’s Worry is one of six Tom Percival books featured in this collection:
Looking for your next assembly?
Explore our Books & Stories assemblies for more resources using children’s literature to explore important themes and values.
Or browse all primary school assembly plans to discover ready-to-use resources across Books & Stories, Famous Faces, British Values, Faith Heroes and Times & Places.
Assembly Resources:
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