Being a C of E School | Stottesdon CofE Primary School

"Achieving Together "

At Stottesdon CofE Primary School, we achieve together in God's love. Inspired by Jesus' call to love God, love others and love ourselves, we nurture ambition, commitment, creativity and integrity so that every child can flourish and live life in all its fullness.

The theological foundation of our work is rooted in the Bible references below:

"Love your neighbour as yourself." Mark 12:31

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

Together they emphasise that our vision is built on four simple truths:

· Love as the motivation.

· Flourishing as the purpose.

· Achievement as the outcome.

· Community as the context.

To help children live out our values every day, each Trust value is supported by specific Christian virtues explored through collective worship, biblical teaching and school life.

"How can we achieve together today?"

BE AMBITIOUS

- We flourish, aim high and become the best person we can be

We believe every child can succeed and achieve amazing things. We encourage our children to dream big, embrace opportunities and have the confidence to aim high. Through challenge and encouragement, we help everyone to grow, flourish and become the very best version of themselves.

BE COMMITTED

- We do our best for ourselves and others

We try our best in all that we do and help others to do the same. We have a positive ‘can-do’ attitude and never give up. We show determination and resilience when things are challenging. We work hard, keep going and support one another to achieve our goals.

BE CREATIVE

- We use our talents to work with others, be original and solve problems

We encourage our children to think creatively, ask questions and explore new ideas. By developing strong knowledge and skills, children gain the confidence to solve problems, express themselves and see the world in different ways.

HAVE INTEGRITY

- We do the right thing even when nobody is watching

We act with honesty, kindness and respect. We look after our school and the world around us. We help our children grow into confident, caring young people who take responsibility for their actions and make a positive difference to others.

Christian values: Hope, Courage, Service/Humility

"Be the best person God created you to be."

Biblical theme: David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) and Jesus’ example of servant leadership

Christian values: Compassion; Friendship; Generosity

"Faithful in serving others."

Biblical theme: The Five Friends (Luke 5:17-26)

Christian values: Thanks, Responsibility, Respect

"Using God's gifts to make a difference."

Biblical theme: Stewardship (Genesis 1 and 2)

Christian values: Truth/Trust, Justice, Forgiveness

"Doing the right thing, even when nobody is watching."

Biblical theme: The Good Samaritan

Daily Reflection

Our daily assembly/worship is an important gathering each day in order to be together and reflect on key aspects of who we are and how we choose to be. These are our worship virtues and they are represented by mural artwork in our hall. Each mural represents a story in the Bible that helps teach us about this value:

Christian teachings are regularly referred to in our worship and also include visitors from a number of churches and the ‘Open the Book’ program where Bible stories are enacted on a weekly basis. We also deliver worship in a very multi-faith or no-faith way in order to develop a respect and empathy for all our views.
If any parent has concerns about their child taking part in morning worship, they are welcome to come to school to discuss it. Parents may withdraw their children if they wish.

Religious Education

Children enjoy our Religious Education as a way of learning about and from a range of faiths. Children learn to enquire about and respect choice and reflect on their own decisions of how to be. We follow the LEA approved scheme for RE (please see our curriculum maps and policies for further information).

Re-opening activites of St Mary's Church

In the summer of 2023, the school was delighted to return to our church following extensive refurbishment through the National Lottery and English Heritage. Children enjoyed activities to re-engage them with the history and importance of the church. Children were also fortunate enough to be funded to attend workshops to design and make tiles at Jackfield tile museum. The tiles will be used to create a permanent display in the church…..an updated version of the 1860 tiles by the Altar.

Click on the image below to see a short video of the activites.