Our Vision & Values

Our vision

Our vision, as a Church of England primary school, is deeply rooted in a strong Christian tradition, to develop happy, young people with enquiring minds, a lifelong love of learning, respect for themselves, others and the environment so that they will have the skills, resilience and adaptability to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

The Bible verse that sets our vision statement in context comes from the words of Jesus:

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10.

We have five core values that are strategic to this vision

Our core values

Forgiveness, courage, friendship, respect and perseverance.

All we do as a school is underpinned by these values

Whilst growing in God’s love, we will support and encourage one another to aim for the best in all we do.

Our Aims

Our aims underpin our teaching and learning, and provide an environment which prepares our pupils as confident, happy citizens.

‘Aim for the best; growing in God’s love’

Learning is at the centre of all we do; we strive to provide an engaging education which appeals to the many interests of the children. We work hard and strive for excellence in our school; our aim is that everyone in our school reaches the highest standards of achievement possible whilst becoming confident and independent.

The aim of St Mary’s School is to provide a happy, safe and stimulating atmosphere where:

• Christian values are promoted
• Respect for others and personal responsibility are expected
• Children enjoy learning and are confident and willing to try
• High academic standards are encouraged and the needs of every child are met
• Teachers, parents and carers work together as partners in their children’s education
• Foundations for lifelong learning are established
• Children develop independent learning skills
• Community spirit is fostered
• The well-being and mental health of every member of the school community is supported

British Values

At St Mary’s School, we actively promote British values through our school vision, ethos, agreed rules, curriculum, and teaching. As such, we promote tolerance of, and respect for, people of all faiths (or those with no faith), cultures, and lifestyles.

We prepare children and young people positively for life in modern Britain by supporting them through our words, actions, and influence, not just within school, but also within the wider community.

Promoting Our Values

The government defines British values as:

• Democracy.
• Rule of law.
• Individual liberty.
• Mutual respect.
• Tolerance of those of different faiths.

At St Mary’s School, we value the diverse ethnic backgrounds of all pupils and families and undertake a variety of events and lessons to celebrate these. We have found this approach to be enriching for all parties, as it teaches tolerance and respect for the differences in our community and the wider world. Underpinning all of this is a range of curriculum topics that have strong links to the British Empire. We actively challenge children, staff, and parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views.

As part of The White Horse Federation, we passionately believe that by working together, children have a higher quality of education, and that as colleagues, we will also benefit from and reap the rewards of a values-based organisation where no one is left behind.