Our Core Christian Values
Jesus said “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
This vision underpins life in its fullness at Guilden Morden and is strengthened by our four core values of friendship, courage, respect and love that are embedded in our school life and Christian ethos.
As well are our core values, we also explore our other Christian and British values.
Christian Distinctiveness
At Guilden Morden Cof E Primary Academy, we aim to provide each child with a challenging, stimulating and enjoyable education, rooted firmly in our Christian ethos. We strive to develop the whole child through the encouragement of high expectations, in an inclusive and supportive environment, where every child can reach for their full potential and flourish. This is underpinned by our theological Christian vision:
Together we work to succeed and flourish, to live life in all its fullness. John 10:10
Recognising its historic foundation, the school preserves and develops its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church of England and in partnership with the Church at parish and diocesan level.
- We aim to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice.
- We welcome families of faith or no faith equally.
- We help the children to gain an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith and promote Christian values through the experiences we offer to all pupils.
Collective Worship
In order to help all our children develop in the image of God and live life to its full, we recognise the importance of Collective Worship in supporting this. Therefore we have a variety of adults and children leading collective worship bringing their own spiritual experiences. Distinctively Christian worship is an integral part of every day in school and a chance to come together and worship as a school family.
Collective Worship is adapted to suit the needs and understanding of different age ranges and abilities. As a school we offer visual displays in each class to focus the children on current theological activities or a space to reflect. We also promote prayer across the school and teach the children that prayer can be carried out at any place and at any time.
Worship and prayers make reference to everyday issues for example linking bible stories to living out our school vision and values. We support the children and adults in seeing the relevance and living out our Christian values in their daily lives.
We organise a variety of different people to lead regular worship, including staff, pupils, members of the clergy, Open the Book and GenR8. We also hold family services at our local church to celebrate key evets in the Christian calendar. At these services we invite everyone involved in school worship to take part.
Our weekly Collective Worship is planned as follows:
Mondays – Christian Values Worship - the whole school join together to explore ours Christian values. Themes around the different school values each term.
Tuesdays – In class Core Values Worship - class based worship on the different school values each term.
Wednesdays – Faith and Festivals Worship - the whole school join together to look at festivals in the Christian calendar and in other world religions.
Thursdays – Worship Singing and Praise Worship - the whole school join together to learn new songs an hymns for worship, appropriate to the religious season.
Fridays –
Celebrations Worship - the whole school join together to celebrate learning, sporting and other achievements throughout the week.
British Values
Promoting British Values Guilden Morden CofE Primary Academy
The Government requires schools to ensure that key ‘British Values’ are taught in all UK schools. Through our curriculum, we seek to actively promote the fundamental British values:
- Democracy – Respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process
- The rule of law – respect for the basis on which the law is made and applies in England
- Individual liberty - support and respect for the liberties of all within the law
- Mutual respect – respect for all
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs – tolerance of different faiths and religious and other beliefs
These values are reinforced regularly and are taught through a broad, balanced and enriched curriculum. At our school you will encounter these values throughout our everyday school life. We believe that our Christian identity plays an important role in upholding British Values within our school community.
Democracy
Pupil voice is a big part of life at Guilden Morden and democracy is embedded at the school. Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. School councils are elected annually through a democratic voting system, as pupil representatives.
Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council and questionnaires and are thus involved in making Guilden Morden a better place to learn. The elections of the School Council members are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action. The school council meets weekly to discuss issues raised in class council meetings.
The Rule of Law
The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout every school day, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school collective worship. A consistently applied Behaviour Policy is shared with the children and expectations are reinforced regularly and opportunities are sought frequently to praise positive choices.
Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern, keep us safe and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Each class also discusses and sets its own rules that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.
Through collective worship and the school’s PSHE curriculum, children develop an understanding of law appropriate to their age.
Individual Liberty
Within our school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. We devote a lot of time and effort into creating a positive culture in our school, so children are in a safe environment where choices and freedoms are encouraged. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make these choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety, RE and PSHE lessons. Whether it is through choice of learning challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Positive behaviours are taught across the school and every child is aware that they have the right to feel safe. There is a strong anti-bullying culture where children are valued for their differences and care is taken to provide equal opportunities for all.
Time and care is taken to know each child as an individual. Pupils are supported to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights.
Mutual Respect
Our pupils learn together with absolute respect for each other. We change learning partners regularly and every pupil knows that we respect and appreciate each other; no matter what differences may exist. The pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have and to everything, however big or small. Our school ethos emphasises how as a school we unite together and support each other. Mutual respect is at the core of our school life.