What does it mean to be a Church of England School?

What it means to be a church of England School

St John's CE school and church endeavour to be a caring community, where opportunities to discover and live out our Christian faith and values which run throughout our school life.

Our vision for our school.

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Love your neighbour as yourself.' (Mark 12 30-31)

Through Jesus Christ, our vision is to deliver exciting engaging opportunities to enable our children to develop a love of learning and achieve their best. We aim to provide an environment in which all are loved and valued and where we can live out our Christian values.

The Christian values of love, care for others and a response to the needs of the world are part of the everyday ethos of our school.

All members of our school, church, children, staff, parents and governors are encouraged to value and respect themselves and each other, the wider community and the environment.

As they grow in mind, body and spirit, our children have the confidence to be inspirational, independent and creative learners who enjoy their work and achieve in all aspects of their education in the caring, family community.

What you will notice

As a parent, visitor or member of staff you will find that St John’s C.E. Primary School aims to offer the best education, as other schools would, but the way in which the school works is different and distinctive. This distinctive difference is rooted in our Christian values that affect the way in which everyone behaves and the way in which everyone is respected. In order to nurture children’s spirituality, our Governing Body ensure St John’s C.E. Primary School:

Is led by head teachers who are committed, with the help of staff, to maintain the Christian character of the school.
Enables children to engage meaningfully in a daily act of Christian worship.
Encourages personal faith, reflection and prayer.
Offers school life that incorporates the values of the Christian faith.
Ensures that 5% of curriculum time is devoted to religious education.
Observes the major Christian festivals.
Works with our partner schools to provide opportunities for children and parents to discover and nurture their faith.
Ensure those children of other faiths are able to, and encouraged, to mark their major festivals with integrity.
Maintains and develops an active and affirming relationship with St John the Baptist Church
Proclaims that our school is a Church of England school and makes appropriate use of Christian symbols around the school.

Our Core Christian Values.

Church schools have Christian beliefs and values at their heart.

Koinonia (Community)

“How good and pleasant is it for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity”

(Psalm 133:1)

Our school works in unison with all our families, those of different faiths and non, and we teach pupils to value and be respectful of differences. Our goal as a community is to emulate Jesus’ example; we aspire to be more like Jesus so we can inspire others to seek the truth and love. Community spirit and encouragement go hand in hand. This is a simple but profound lesson in the Bible. We share in the world that is made from God’s love; thus we also share the same heart and faith when we come together as a community.

Trust

“Two people are better than one... If one person falls, the other can reach out to help.”

(Ecclesiastes 4.9-10)

Trust is essential to building positive relationships. It is rooted in truth and will grow through consistent experiences based on honesty and integrity. Trust is a really important value. It is earned. If we do not trust someone it is very hard to build a good friendship with. Trust is central to society and living together in harmony.

Trust is central to our community. When we work together, if we are willing to trust in others, everyone can be enriched and celebrated for their uniqueness.

Endurance

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

(Philippians 4:13)

Endurance is recognition that life is sometimes difficult and painful and that it is important not to give up in the face of adversity. Endurance and perseverance are only possible where there is hope and that hope is based on the enduring nature of God’s love and faithfulness.

In our school this means that we don't give up as soon as things go wrong. We know that we learn from mistakes and keep improving. Even when we are faced with challenges we remember that we are not alone.

Friendship

"A new commandment I give you, that you will love one another, just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

(John 13:34-35

Friends are incredibly important as children grow up. As part of this value we consider how to be a good friend and how to encourage each other. Friendship is a key concept in the Christian framework with Jesus being criticised for being a ‘friend of sinners’.

Jesus tells stories about a heavenly banquet to which all are invited. The barriers between people are broken down in a loving community based around God.

True friendship allows each person to grow, to become themselves. This ensures that the unique individuality of each person is recognised, echoing the value placed by God on the preciousness of each person.

Thankfulness

"Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!"

Psalm 95:2)

Thankfulness has always been at the centre of the life and worship of God's people. Thankfulness is directed towards God who gives and sustains life. Seeing the world as God's creation underpins the way we approach everything in life, seeing it as a gift and not as a right.

Jesus gave thanks to God (Matthew 11.25) and although the word ‘thankfulness’ is not common in the Gospels, recognition of his dependence on the Father infuses the whole life of Jesus. Thankfulness is a wholehearted response. It stems from a consciousness of Gods gifts and blessings. It is a joyfulness that erupts into praise. Paul frequently encourages us to ‘be thankful’ (Colossians 3:15), to ‘give thanks in all circumstances’ (1 Thelossians 5:18) and says that our lives should ‘overflow with thankfulness’. (Colossians 2:7)

For Christians the greatest of all acts of worship is simply called ‘thanksgiving’ - eucharista in Greek- thanksgiving for the death and resurrection of God’s son and the way of forgiveness that is opened up.

Justice

"Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."

(Amos 5:24)

When thinking about ‘justice’, some people think first about giving wrongdoers the punishment they deserve. ‘Justice’ evokes ideas of ‘just desserts’, ‘the punishment fitting the crime’, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. However, justice also means giving all people - particularly the poor and oppressed - what is right and fair for them to have. It is about acting out of a concern for what is right and seeing right prevail. It is about social justice, especially for those who suffer most and are least able to protect themselves.

Throughout the Bible, it is emphasised that justice is immensely important to God. It is fundamental to God's character. ‘For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face’. (Psalm 11:7)

Justice is not about a culture which encourages everyone to insist on their own rights at the expense of others. It is about a community that knows that everyone's well-being is bound up with that of everyone else.

A commitment to justice leads to fierce opposition to injustice in whatever form it may be found. Justice is a prerequisite of peace: without justice there can be no peace.