Our Christian Values

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At Netherhall St James CE(VC) Infant & Nursery School, our school family, including children, parents, staff and governors, have reflected upon and selected four core values to live and work by. These are RESPECT, LOVE, TRUST & COMPASSION. Our Core Values have been chosen to enhance and bring meaning to our vision and our motto that at our school we LEARN TOGETHER IN GOD’S LOVE, and to help ensure that all members of our school family flourish and develop on their own personal spiritual journey.

As a welcoming and inclusive Church of England school, we believe that everyone is loved by God and we strive to ensure that our vision and values are lived so that every member of our school family can develop and grow to be the best that they can be in all aspects of their lives.

This is led by our vision statement:

OUR VISION STATEMENT

We strive to provide the children at St James Infant and Nursery School with an outstanding opportunity to learn in a caring, Christian setting at the heart of our community.

LEARNING

High quality teaching and learning will be at the heart of all we do .Together we will develop a collaborative use of key skills for lifelong learning.

TOGETHER

Everyone will be supported and encouraged to thrive and enjoy their learning together in a safe and secure environment guided by our Christian Values.

IN GOD'S LOVE

Through nurturing confidence and independence together we will sow the seeds that enable everyone to achieve their full potential and harvest their successes in God’s love.

We strive towards our Vision through our Christian Values: Respect, Trust, Love and Compassion.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 New International Version (NIV)

Our Values are considered in depth during collective worship and embedded in all aspects of school life. This aspect of education gives children the language to express themselves. It supports and encourages us to celebrate success, promote high self-esteem and support reflection. This approach is successful because our whole school team are committed to weaving the values into their school day.

In our last SIAMS Inspection we were judged at securely meeting the requirements of a church school with the Inspector detailing our strengths as the following:

“Netherhall St James is a welcoming and nurturing community. Positive relationships, built on trust, respect, love and compassion, enable pupils and adults to flourish.

The vision for all to develop their full potential shines through the systems in place to enable all to achieve. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who are deemed vulnerable are well supported in their learning.
Supportive relationships are a strength of the school. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are shaped by the vision and the underlying values. They show respect for all.
Invitational collective worship, reflecting the vision and values, is valued by staff and pupils. Pupils respond by applying these to their own lives.

• Religious education (RE) provides pupils with a challenging and exciting curriculum. They are knowledgeable about a range of religions, including Christianity.

Collective Worship

Collective worship is based around a programme of 12 Christian values (including our 4 core values). These are promoted throughout the school environment. As a school, we have whole school collective worship four days a week and a class worship once a week where our values are reflected upon and celebrated. As well as our acts of daily worship, there are termly opportunities to worship together in St James Church, and the school community are very welcome to join us for these special services. Every Friday, we also hold a Celebration service where we celebrate special events and achievements during our school week and also recognise children’s acts of kindness. Children are also invited to bring certificates from outside school so that we can recognise and celebrate their achievements together.

Reflection

During our busy school days, it is important to pause and take moments of reflection. Jesus showed us the value of stepping away from the busyness of life to spend time in prayer. In Mark 1:35, we read how he rose early in the morning and went to a quiet place to be alone with God.

At school, we provide many opportunities for reflection: through whole school collective worship in the hall, quiet times set aside within classrooms, and our interactive reflection area in the school entrance. We have also created a special reflection garden in the playground, offering pupils a peaceful outdoor space where they can pause, be still, and take in the beauty of the skyline beyond.

This term we are thinking about the value of

Justice

If you would like to share and discuss our current value at home; here is a copy of our latest value newsletter: