Our Christian Vision, Values and Ethos
Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary School
'Let Your Light Shine.'
Matthew 5:16
Our Vision
As a Church of England school, our historical roots are vital to our identity and we are committed to serve our community. We value all of God’s children, and follow our vision of equality for all. We believe that at Whitley Memorial Church of England Primary we are one big family, the 'Whitley Family,' striving to support our children equally in their spiritual and personal growth alongside their academic development, so that they may live life in all its fullness.
Our school motto of 'Let your light shine' comes from Matthew 5:16: 'Let your light so shine before all people, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'
This voices our overarching belief that everyone, no matter what their starting point may be, has God-given skills and talents and we passionately believe in working collaboratively with parents, learners, members of the community, our church (St Cuthbert's), educational partners (including the Diocese of Newcastle & Durham and Northumberland County Council) and other professionals to ensure all children receive the very best start to their learning journey and have every opportunity to 'Let Your Light Shine.'
Core Values
Our core values are at the heart of our school ethos and Christian environment. These values form the scaffold of our half-termly Worship themes and are also taught explicitly throughout the school. Our values are: Thankfulness, Trust, Perseverance, Justice, Service, Truthfulness, Generosity, Compassion, Courage, Forgiveness, Friendship and Respect.
Ethos
Our school will:
As a Church of England school we believe everyone can 'Let Your Light Shine' through:
- Providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian practice and belief
- Continually reviewing and refining our practice
- Providing encouragement and opportunities for everyone to discover and use the gifts and talents they’ve been given by God, in a safe environment
- Ensuring that Christian and British values are at the core of everything we do
- Being a fully inclusive school where all children feel safe and welcome and are encouraged to be kind, thoughtful, tolerant and respectful to all within school, the church and the wider community
- Having a positive approach to behaviour based on Christian principles and using the 'Thrive' approach.
- Valuing parents as the first teachers of children and to welcome parents as partners in our school community
- Providing opportunities to worship together and with our local community