Our Christian Values
Cherishing each individual
Aiming for excellence in teaching and learning
Relationships built on mutual respect
Experiences that enrich lives
“We flourish when we help others flourish”
Jeremiah7
Vision
Our school has a strong Christian ethos valuing individuality and inclusivity. We cherish all learners, providing a high standard of academic and pastoral education to enable all to flourish. This encompasses all of our being, materially, physiologically, spiritually and emotionally.
We encourage everyone to develop a love of learning and make a positive contribution to all aspects of school life. Relationships throughout the school are open and consistent, encouraging confidence in pupils combined with mutual respect. We encourage pupils to ask questions, at the same time as acquiring knowledge and skills which help to develop understanding of spiritual, moral, cultural and social issues. Our school is at the heart of the community, enjoying close links with local families and St Margaret’s church. Belonging is important to us, ensuring our pupils embody respect, tolerance and compassion for all.
The Greatest Commandment
(Matthew 22. 34 -40)
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’
He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment.
And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’
Our vision and associated values are theologically centred on the Bible narrative ‘The Good Samaritan’ (Luke 10:25-37). When asked the question ‘Who is my neighbor?’ Jesus answered by telling this story to explain that everyone is our neighbour, regardless of their background or beliefs.
This belief resonates with our values, strongly believing that everyone should be treated with respect, helped and shown compassion and mercy at all times.
‘Love your neighbour as much as you love yourself’ Matthew 22 v 39
The ‘Good Samaritan’ demonstrated great love and compassion as he treated the injured man on the street as he would like to be treated himself. Listeners of this story may have been shocked by this, knowing all too well that Samaritans were despised by Jewish people at that time. Through this story, Jesus describes a community of love and kindness.
As a school we strive to be kind and to help each other by collaborating and sharing so that together we are stronger and can achieve great things.
“You go then and do the same” Luke 10 v 37
Through His telling of this parable, Jesus shows us that we should love and respect everybody. Jesus describes how the Samaritan man put the needs of the stranger before his own. By showing respect and sacrificial love, he restored his dignity and made a positive difference to the man’s life. Jesus then challenged those listening to follow the example of the Good Samaritan by doing the same.
In our daily lives at school, we invest in building strong relationships, reflecting on our attitude, behaviour and actions towards others, believing in forgiveness and a fresh start each day. We encourage the children to have a voice and make a positive difference to the world.
‘Blessed is the one who perseveres’ James 1:12
Jesus shows the Samaritan as an example of someone who persevered to be the best that he could be and to make good choices in spite of the personal cost and effort that it took.
This reflects our vision to provide high quality teaching and learning for our pupils, encouraging them to have ambitious aspirations, enjoy challenge and keep going to achieve a goal. We praise and celebrate hard work and effort in all aspects of life. The individual strengths of everyone are valued and nurtured so that all can experience success and develop positive feelings about themselves.
All members of Drayton CE Junior School collaborate to ensure that our values permeate through all aspects of school life in the following ways:
Cherishing each individual
- We recognise the individuality of each child.
- Every child is given equal opportunity to develop intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually in a happy, caring and ordered environment.
Aiming for excellence in teaching and learning
- We support and challenge children to develop their abilities and talents by providing a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum, with recognition being made of children’s individual needs.
- We help children acquire the essential knowledge, skills, concepts and attitudes that will enable them to take full advantage of all opportunities open to them.
- We support and challenge our staff to achieve the highest standards of teaching and learning.
Relationships built on mutual respect
- We believe this to be fundamental to achieving all our aims.
- We take our role in the community very seriously. We encourage children to make a positive contribution to a wide range of local, national, worldwide and Church communities.
- We enable the children to become valued members of the community, to develop social awareness and a respect for the needs, wishes, aspirations, opinions and belongings of others.
Experiences that enrich lives
- We want children to enjoy school life and to grow as people, developing self-confidence and self-discipline, to meet challenges now and in the future, and to develop a hunger for learning.
- We offer the opportunity for children to participate and develop in a wide range of ways; academically, creatively, emotionally, spiritually and artistically.
- Through the curriculum, music, visits, the performing arts, and sport, we aim to enrich children’s lives.
