Ethos and Values 2023-24

Our Christian Vision and values are at the core of everything we do. They underpin our school vision which is;

Our Christian Vision

Learning Together, In God's Love

At Bishop Martin, we INSPIRE and empower all members of our school community, providing the knowledge to enable everyone to thrive and flourish.  Guided by our Christian Values, we are all determined to serve and lead the diverse world we live in treating everyone with compassion, dignity and respect. With hope and aspiration we will encourage all to grow and believe that

“…with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

ETHOS STATEMENT

Recognising its historic foundation, our school will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church of England and in partnership with the Church at  both a parish and diocesan level.

Our school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. We encourage an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith and promote Christian values through the experience we offer to all our pupils.

Our Christian Values

These values are clear in everything we do and how we operate. They reflect the core ideology of our school and do not change over time. The person you are is an expression of these values. They determine how you think and what you do. They shape your purpose and determine your vision. They establish your character and are hugely important to who you are. Values are what we live, breathe and these are reflected in our day-to-day activities.

These are our values for 2023 to 2024

GENEROSITY 

Acts 20:35: Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. 

Corinthians 9.7: God loves a cheerful giver 

Spiritual Jesus lived a life devoted to serving God and others, sometimes at great cost to himself. He taught that if our money and possessions are held too tightly and used only for ourselves, they will prevent us knowing God's blessing. We teach that happiness does not necessarily increase with the number of material possessions that we acquire. 

Moral Following the example of Jesus, together we explore the Christian understanding that all that we have comes from God as ‘gift’. These gifts, whether they be money, possessions, time or abilities, are given in trust, that they will be used for the benefit of all in our school and in the wider community. 

Social As a community, we seek to create relationships characterised by a generosity of spirit, believing that, given a nurturing environment, each individual can flourish, achieve their full potential and contribute positively to society. 

Cultural As a Church of England school we seek to explore the lives of individuals such as Lord Shaftsbury and George Muller who exemplified a joy in giving and who shaped the politics, culture and values of modern 

COMPASSION 

Colossians 3.12: Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

Luke 10.25-37: (The story of the Good Samaritan) Matthew 7.12: Treat others as you want them to treat you. 

Spiritual Jesus' work of healing were always rooted in his compassion for others. In the story which he told which is known as the Good Samaritan, the compassion shown is directed toward someone totally unexpected. Jesus was making the point that we are called to care for those outside our own cultural or social circle as well as our friends and family.
The literal meaning of the word ‘compassion’ suggests suffering with or alongside someone else. In developing character, we encourage an attitude of empathy and understanding of others, trying to imagine what it is like to stand in the shoes of another. 

Moral We try to explore what it means to live out Jesus' teaching, exemplified in the command to do to others as you would have them do to you. (Matthew 7. 12) This is sometimes known as The Golden Rule and underpins all our relationships and our Behaviour Policy 

Social As a community, we try to share one another's burdens and to help everyone to know that struggling and failure are not signs of weakness but opportunities to learn more about ourselves and others, and to grow as an interdependent family.
We actively look out for opportunities to support charities and good causes that improve the quality of life for people in our own country and the wider world. 

Cultural We recognise that our nation has, throughout its history, offered a safe place for those fleeing persecution and disaster. We celebrate the rich diversity that this has brought to our culture and seek to play our part in offering a welcome to all those joining our school community especially anyone in any kind of need. 

COURAGE 

Deuteronomy 31. 6: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. 

Timothy 1. 7: For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 

Spiritual Jesus lived in the assurance that his faher God would provide all that he needed. This gave him courage to face even the cross. At our school, the words from the book to Timothy (see above) guide the way we approach any challenges that face us. 

Moral Learning from Jesus, we recognise that taking a moral stand or tackling a challenge will require courage but we also know that we can pray for God’s strength and his help. 

Social As a community, we explore the Christian belief that almost anything is possible because God is for us. We therefore encourage one another to reach our God-given potential and participate in artistic, sporting and cultural activities that take us outside of our comfort zone. 

Cultural As a Church of England school we take inspiration from those who have been uncompromising in standing for justice and have been true to their Christian faith in the face of persecution. We celebrate individuals such as William Wilberforce and Elizabeth Fry who through courage and perseverance have influenced the political and social life of Britain, and those such as Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela who have also powerfully informed our values and culture.

FORGIVENESS 

John 1.9: But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. 

Mark 11.25: If you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you. 

Spiritual Jesus came into the world to show us how much we are loved by God; by taking the sins of the whole world upon himself on the cross Jesus made forgiveness and a personal relationship with God possible. We strive to offer every member of our school community a life-giving encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. 

Moral Following Jesus' example, we always offer forgiveness and a fresh start to children and adults who have made mistakes. We teach that an individual's behaviour can have a positive or negative impact on others and that this consideration must be paramount in deciding whether behaviour is appropriate. When sanctions are deemed necessary because behaviour falls short of expectations, we endeavour to demonstrate justice with compassion. 

Social As a community whose life is founded upon Christian values we recognise that forgiveness, offered and received, will be at the heart of all our relationships. We teach about how we can show we are sorry in practical ways and equip individuals with strategies to prevent them from repeating mistakes in the future. We believe that learning from the past and not holding grudges will help to develop character by making us more resilient. 

Cultural As a Church of England school, our behaviour policy is informed throughout by our Christian values. We try not to make assumptions about people or situations before knowing all the facts and circumstances. Decisions about sanctions are made carefully and after consultation. We teach children about the justice system in modern Britain and the emphasis on principles such as the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and the concept of restorative justice. 

FRIENDSHIP 

John 15.15: ‘I no longer call you servants’, said Jesus.......... ‘Instead I have called you friends.’ 

Spiritual Jesus called his disciples friends. He trusted them, encouraged them and ultimately gave his life for them. Jesus extends the hand of friendship to everyone. We explore together, what friendship with Jesus means for Christians. 

Moral Jesus' example of self-sacrificial love and commitment to his friends is one that inspires us to place the needs of others above our own and make our friendships faithful and resilient. 

Social Jesus' friends came from a wide range of backgrounds and included fishermen, scholars and tax collectors. We encourage an attitude of inclusivity and openness to others, regardless of religious, ethnic or socio-economic background. 

Cultural The culture in our school is democratic, diverse and inclusive. However, we know that if our children are to be fully equipped for life in modern Britain, we need to be pro-active in forming links and building relationships with schools in a wide range of social, cultural and religious settings. 

RESPECT 

Mark 10.14: Let the children come to me (Mark 10. 14)
Matthew 10.29: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. 

Spiritual Jesus valued every person equally regardless of status, gender or wealth. He showed a particular bias to those who were poor, in need or at the margins of society at that time.
At our school we explore the Christian teaching that every child and adult is made in God's image and is uniquely precious and worthy of respect and kindness. 

Moral Following Jesus' teaching and attitude towards children, our school values every child equally and is pro- active about ensuring that no individual is disadvantaged or treated differently due to their social background, gender, sexual orientation or cultural or religious background. We equip children with the skills to recognise prejudice in the media or in the political process. We encourage all within our community to learn about and engage with our nation's democratic processes both locally and nationally to help to support, protect and sustain for the future the respect due to every citizen. 

Social As a community whose life is founded upon Christian values, we do not merely tolerate difference and diversity, we actively celebrate the uniqueness of all individuals. Whilst it may not always be possible to respect the opinions of every member (e.g. if they are sexist, homophobic or racist) we do respect the individual and their right to hold views that are different from our own. 

Cultural As a Church of England school, we strive to create a culture that is characterised by openness, empathy and respect. We try to foster humility and thankfulness in our relationships with one another and the natural world. We continually strive to improve our understanding of different faiths and cultural diversity, celebrating the richness of experience and beliefs represented in British society. 

Copyright © Imaginor Ltd. May 2016

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LDST Vision and Values

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