Our Ethos - Everyone Matters 

Our Vision

An aspirational and supportive church school community, working together to wonder, trust and achieve.  Striving to recognise life’s rich opportunities, while developing talented lifelong learners, through respect, empathy, hope, trust and wonder.

St John's is a multi-cultural, multi-faith, Church of England Primary School in the midst of a richly diverse community. We have a strong school ethos where 'Everyone Matters', and the unique integral placement of our church at the heart of our school allows wonderful opportunities for collective worship where we celebrate our rich cultural heritage and explore the fullness of our gifts and talents as a school family.

‘The school aims to provide and an aspirational education within the context of Christian beliefs for all its pupils so that they ‘have life and have it abundantly’. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promotes the Christian values of respect, empathy, hope, trust and wonder.'

SIAMS Inspection 2019

Allied to this are our fantastic children who are whole-heartedly committed to St John’s. They are proud of their school and of their learning and achievements they make. As such they are committed to education and want to improve their learning and to live life in abundance. They are the greatest asset and achievement of St John’s and integral to all that happens at our school.

Our school motto               Wonder.         Trust.         Achieve.             Our golden threads 

• Wonder.   Where we appreciate the natural world as a source of wonder and inspiration, and play our part in maintaining and improving the environment. Where we think about ‘big questions’. Where we dream. Where we are curious and enthusiastic. Where we have hope.
• Trust.       Where we show respect and empathy towards others, enabling positive relationships. Where we believe. Where we trust in God. Where we trust in ourselves. Where we trust in others. Where we know and value our self-worth and the worth of others. 
•  Achieve.   Where we develop knowledge and skills. Where we foster lasting enjoyment of learning. Where we recognise talents in all presentations. Where we know, with hard work and dedication success will come. Where we meet our potential, whatever that may look like.

Our Theologically Rooted Christian Vision 

Our school aims to serve its community by providing a quality and aspirational education within the context of Christian belief and practice. St John’s encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all in its community. Following the message,

‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly’

John10.10 (NRSV– Bible)

The school aims to provide a happy, secure environment which reflects the principles of the Christian faith, thus helping to develop children’s spiritual growth and moral understanding.

By so doing we aim to:

• Develop children’s self-esteem and self-worth
• Develop each child’s academic potential
• Develop in each child curiosity and an enthusiasm to learn

And we achieve this through                 Wonder.       Trust.      Achieve .        Our golden threads  - Our motto

Our Intent  (Wonder)  which has rigorous focus on learning and development through the acquisition of knowledge and skills in a diverse community united in wonder, generosity and joy. A learning community that inculcates individual ambition and resilience in a spirit of collective endeavour and empathy. A community where all pupils, staff, parents/carers, advisors and visitors are welcomed and known 'I have called you by name—you are mine.' Isaiah 43:1b.

Our Implementation  (Trust)  is achieved through our shared passion for consistently high standards of teaching and learning, through a rich and relevant curriculum. In fruitful partnerships with families, partner agencies, the governing body, the diocese and the Trust we are committed to building learners' knowledge, skills, attitudes and self-esteem. We work with local and national leaders in education to evaluate our offer and creatively manage challenge/change.

The Impact  (Achieve)  of our shared vision can be assessed through the outcomes for our pupils including those with additional needs or barriers to learning; the attitudes and behaviours of learners; a distinctive culture of curiosity and questioning; the recruitment and development of dedicated professionals and the contribution to our local community. To use the Church of England's label our school is evidently and abundantly 'deeply Christian for the common good'.

We believe in the strength of good home/school partnerships and are aware of the need to be sensitive to our community with its rich cultural diversity. We will always seek to value the individual, knowing that everyone in our community really does matter, nurturing strengths and talents and supporting in times of need, but always recognising the life we have been given and the opportunities we have to live in a full and abundant way.

Our school values and drivers,

Respect

Empathy

Hope

Trust

Wonder

‘…The school’s vision and core values are clearly rooted in the Christian narrative…’

(SIAMS Inspection, March 2019)