Our School's Vision and Christian Values
'Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God' are spoken by the ancient prophet Micah and have been shared through the ages. The words breathe inspiration into the heart of our life together as a community at St. Andrew's school. Our vision summarises our Christian values and what we want most for our pupils before they go to secondary school.
Our Christian vision
Do justice, by committing ourselves to opportunity for every child in our care, treating our staff with equity and seeking fairness in the world through charitable giving and participating in the life of the local community.
Love kindness, by making compassion always our priority, finding joy in encouraging one another, forgiving and showing respect at all times.
Walking humbly with your God, firstly by understanding our environment and recognising our ecological impact, and secondly by worshipping together whilst recognising the growing diversity of our pupils and their belief and practice.
Our School's Christian Values
At St Andrew’s School we have six Christian Values that we use to guide our behaviours and attitudes.
These values are: Compassion, Service, Peace, Thankfulness, Stewardship and Justice.
Compassion
While friendship and kindness are highly regarded by our school community, we also understand the significance of showing love towards those we may not naturally gravitate towards or who differ from us. We foster a culture of compassionate empathy, recognising that we are all created in the image of God. Our students are encouraged to extend a helping hand to one another, mirroring the teachings of "The Parable of the Good Samaritan." Through writing and offering prayers, our children actively express their shared commitment to the welfare of all individuals and living beings.
Service
Our children are made aware of the joy of giving whilst raising money for charities and assisting with schemes like “The Winter Night Shelter” but they are also given examples of what it means to live a sacrificial life in the stories of the saints and the life and death of Jesus Christ. Giving of ourselves means showing hospitality in our lives, friendships, working in groups and at play. This element of service is recognised and praised.
Peace
We strongly emphasise the value of quiet and reflective moments, as they contribute not only to improved focus but also overall well-being. In both our collective worship and classroom activities, we purposefully incorporate opportunities for stillness, deep thought, and prayer. We understand that resolving conflicts goes beyond consequences and resolutions; it involves fostering reconciliation and forgiveness. By embracing these principles, we strive to cultivate a genuine sense of "Shalom" or peace, where individuals feel whole and complete. Our students are encouraged to pray for and actively contribute to the pursuit of global peace and the eradication of war and violence.
Thankfulness
While gratitude is important, we strive to go beyond mere inner feelings and encourage outward expressions of appreciation for the lives we have and the opportunities we receive. Our children learn that our response to those in need stems from our gratitude for the blessings we enjoy. We foster a culture of joy, where we find delight in all that we do and take pride in supporting and celebrating each other's unique gifts and talents.
Stewardship
At St. Andrew's, we hold a deep belief in the Creator of all things. We actively demonstrate and teach our children various ways to care for and take responsibility for the environment that surrounds us. Our students have the opportunity to nurture animals and cultivate the land in our mini allotments. Above all, we guide our children in understanding the connection between achievement, active participation, and fulfilling God's desire for us to utilise our gifts to their fullest potential.
Justice
Starting from the early years, we instil a sense of fairness and an understanding of consequences, while also regularly discussing grace and mercy. Through our partnerships with organisations like "The Winter Night Shelter," "The Enfield Food Bank," and the "Children's Society," as well as through the House Patrons who were notable social activists, children are introduced to examples of injustice in the world. We strongly encourage independent thinking, empowering our children to question and challenge anything that contradicts our shared values.
By living out these values, we believe that they not only enrich our own lives but also the lives of others. Our families collaborate to explore the meaning of these values in their own lives and within our local community. Throughout the year, we delve into our Christian values, which serve as the foundation for our collective worship and award assemblies. We encourage children to consider how these values can shape their behaviour and contribute to a joyful, compassionate, and stimulating school environment. Our exploration of British values is intertwined with our Christian values, which are defined below.
Father Edd and Mrs Pitsillides
Modern British Values
The department for education definition:
‘Schools should promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law,
individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and
beliefs’
- An understanding as to how citizens can influence decision-making through the
democratic process - An understanding that participation in elections by those opposed to democracy
should be allowed by law, but the success of such candidates is undesirable for the
well-being of society if it would lead to the end of democracy - An understanding that bodies such as the police and the army can be held to account
by the people, through the democratic organs of government - An understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in
law, and an acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself
(or having none) should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
At St. Andrew’s Southgate we promote these values in the following ways:
Rules
- Establishing an agreed set of rules and expectations for the classroom and around the school that benefit everyone.
- Learning about the laws in society – their purpose, and respect for the people who help to enforce them.
- Junior citizens’ event/visit from the police.
- Good sportsmanship.
- Ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong.
- Consistent use of behaviour policy.
Rights
- The house system and school giving the children a chance to present their opinion and a voting system.
- School council – influencing decisions that are made in the school.
- Debates.
- News items to discuss – First News newspaper for children.
- Black history month.
- Freedom of speech – debate, discussion about news items.
- Famous people who ensured freedom – slavery, human rights.
- World Wars where British values have been tested.
Responsibility
- E safety taught termly.
- Fundraising for a charity – helping others.
- Awareness of global issues and our part in them (global warming, recycling, looking after the environment, anti-racism and social justice).
- Foundation Stage – understanding the world.
- Leading a healthy lifestyle – eating well and exercising.
- Responsibility to friends – looking after each other.
- Respect
- Learning about world faiths – looking at differences and similarities of faiths and life styles.
- Tolerating and understanding differences.
- Anti-bullying week and ethos.
- Books from other cultures.
- Listening to others.
- Home school agreement.
