St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School
About Us
Vision & Values
Our Vision Statement
At St Andrew’s Church Junior School, our vision is to "Shine light on a world of possibilities in order to have ‘life in all its fulness’ (John 10:10)".
This vision is underpinned by our core values of Hope, Perseverance, Respect, and Love. In our recent 2026 SIAMS inspection, the inspector described this vision as the "lifeblood of the school," noting that it runs through every strategic decision and our daily life.
A Community Where Everyone Flourishes:
We are proud to be a "highly inclusive school" where every individual is cherished as a unique child of God.
Our commitment to this vision means:
Exceptional Care: Provision for pupils with SEND and those who are vulnerable is "exceptional," ensuring every child is enabled to flourish.
A Nurturing Environment: A "deeply caring and respectful atmosphere pervades school life," where staff model compassion and love for pupils to emulate.
Inspiring Curiosity: Our "big questions" curriculum opens up opportunities that "stimulate thinking, reflection and enquiry," helping our pupils grow as responsible global citizens.
Living Our Values: Whether through our "extremely good" behaviour or our active culture of justice and responsibility, our values are a "living reality".
Like our local lighthouse, we strive to help our pupils "shine a light on the world" and raise their aspirations for the future.
St Andrew’s Church Junior School – Values
|
Value |
Rationale to Meeting Needs of the School Community |
Biblical Underpinning |
Season |
Bible Story |
|
Hope |
Helps children and the community to persevere through challenges, building resilience and optimism |
Trusting in God’s promises gives us hope for the future; encourages faith in His plan |
Autumn: Our Season of HOPE New Beginnings, Setting Goals, Trust in God's Plans As we begin the academic year, we encourage every child to embrace new challenges with optimism, knowing that God has wonderful plans for them and that every effort holds the promise of success. |
Noah and the Ark (Genesis 6:9-22) – Noah trusted God’s promise and remained hopeful despite challenges |
|
Perseverance |
Supports a growth mindset and resilience; teaches children to keep trying and not give up |
God demonstrates perseverance in caring for and guiding His people; we are called to do the same |
Winter: Our Season of PERSEVERANCE Resilience, Inner Strength, Commitment through Challenge. Through the darker, colder months, we learn to face difficulties with courage, to keep trying even when things are tough, and to trust that hard work now will lead to great rewards later.
|
The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:4-7) – God’s persistence in seeking the lost encourages us to persist in love, faith, and effort |
|
Respect |
Teaches children to care for and value others, even when different from themselves; supports inclusion and diversity |
Respecting others shows we believe all people are made in God’s image; it models loving our neighbour |
Spring: Our Season of RESPECT Valuing Diversity, New Life, Caring for Creation and Each Other. As new life emerges, we celebrate the unique gifts and differences in every person. We learn to treat ourselves, others, and the world around us with care, dignity, and admiration, recognising God's hand in all. |
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) – Shows love and care for others, regardless of differences, with no expectation of reward |
|
Love |
Encourages children to act with kindness and compassion, building strong, supportive relationships |
God’s love is unconditional and should be reflected in our actions toward others |
Our Season of LOVE Community, Kindness, Generosity, Sharing Joy. In the fullness of summer, we practice unconditional love. We share our joy, show kindness, forgive generously, and strengthen the bonds within our school family and wider community, reflecting God’s boundless love for us. |
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) – Shows God’s grace and unconditional love, welcoming all back with forgiveness |
We also actively promote the fundamental British Values of:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
These values are taught as part of our board and balanced curriculum and specifically through Religious Education and PSHE. We also foster these values through a variety of different activities in school e.g. Collective Worship, School Parliament House Captains and our Behaviour for Learning policy.