Aims and Values
Our Aims
We believe that people learn best in different ways. At Ss. Mary and John’s Catholic Primary School we provide a rich and varied learning environment that allows children to develop their skills and abilities to their full potential.
Our School aims through the values of the Gospel to provide the highest standard of education by:
- Living the Mission Statement throughout our school day and providing equality of opportunity.
- Providing a Catholic Christian setting in which children can become faithful, courageous, resilient learners who understand the wealth of possibilities they face.
- Creating a safe, happy and caring environment where each child can develop confidence, independence and self-esteem by knowing Christ is at the centre of all we do.
- Establishing good academic standards through high expectations and a broad and balanced curriculum, enabling each child to attain his/her full potential as responsible future citizens.
- Promoting respect and understanding of other cultures and religions as they embrace an inclusive and multicultural society.
- Embed consistency of rules for all children so they know the importance of being ready, respectful and kind.
- Encouraging high standards of behaviour and all-round achievement for each child.
- Fostering a love of learning, a respect for each other and a pride in the school as a caring and supportive community.
- Assisting each child to feel confident in a fast changing technological society, develop the skills for staying safe online and celebrate the importance of having a vocation in life.
- Recognising that parents are the prime educators and encouraging a close partnership between home and school.
British Values
In accordance with The Department for Education we aim to actively promote British Values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.
Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law. These skills and attitudes also reflect our Catholic Social Teaching Principles.
The Key Values are:
- Democracy
- Rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
The promotion of ‘British values’ is central to Catholic education because British values have their origin in the Christian values of our nation.
“We are proud that Catholic schools promote values that are both Catholic and British, including: respect for the individual, democracy, individual liberty, respect, tolerance and inclusiveness. Our schools promote cohesion by serving more ethnically diverse and poorer communities. Catholic schools provide high standards of education which are popular with parents from all social, economic and faith backgrounds.” – Paul Barber (Catholic Education Service 15 December 2014).
At Ss. Mary and John’s we recognise, not only the importance of helping pupils to flourish academically but also spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, so that they are fully prepared for life in British society and for their role as citizens, able to make the strongest possible contribution to the Common Good of all.
We teach the importance of British Values by going much deeper into the meaning of what it means to live a good life, within a framework of Catholic Christian Values. This provides the context and meaning for understanding why British values are important.
Our framework for understanding British values draws on the example of Jesus and his welcome and inclusion of all, which is developed in Catholic Teaching.