Greenford Primary School - Living out our Christian Vision 

 Our Christian Vision 

Everything we do here at Greenford Primary School has happiness, respect and understanding at its heart. We believe passionately that each child recognises how special, unique and valued they are, and can live out our vision of: 

'Growing Together and Preparing for Life'

 

 

 

 

Through our Christian values, we strive to enrich the lives of our school community. We will live, love and learn through our  Christian values, which strengthen us. We respect and celebrate diversity and aspire for all within our community to reach their  full potential academically, socially,  emotionally, culturally and spiritually.

 Underpinning our School Vision "Growing Together. Preparing for Life" our Christian Values form the framework on which we build our school community: embedded in our actions, our planning and our policies.

Our key Values help us actively live out our Christian Vision. They colour and shape our aims, our character, our ethos and subsequently how our children flourish and grow.  Jeremiah 17-8  beautifully underpins our vision and shows the children that, just like a tree near water, when their roots are in God’s word they can gain strength and build resilience; finding nourishment and achieving great things even in difficult times 

The message from Jeremiah 17-8  is captured and represented within our vision vessel. Our values lay within the roots; they ground us and hold us strong and true. Our values are fed and nourished by the stream which is God’s word . The stream is enriched and fed by the chalk lands; representing our school community which helps our values to grow and strengthen. Our church sits amongst the reeds keeping a watchful eye and offering wise counsel. The branches of the tree are the staff who provide safe harbour and the support and structure for children to flourish. Our children are the butterflies;  each one beautifully crafted and unique. They rest on our branches for a short while, learning to spread their wings before they fly off, brightening the world with their awe and wonder.

 

 

 

As a Church Voluntary Controlled Primary School within the Diocese of Salisbury, Greenford Primary School works hard to develop and sustain the school’s Christian distinctiveness. Our Senior Leadership Team, governing body and staff have a clear vision; believing passionately that every child has the potential to grow, flourish and fly. We are fully committed to ensuring that all the children in our school, have access to a high quality, fully inclusive curriculum that provides enriched opportunities and support for them to develop and grow: academically, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally We want all our children to become confident and independent young people, who thrive on challenge and are motivated to learn and grow; setting themselves aspirational goals and dreams.  We make time and space for our children to see and appreciate the awe and wonder in their world. We provide them with opportunities to become courageous advocates for the changes they want to see for themselves , for others and for the world they live in.

 Our Christian Values 

Through collective worship and reflection, time is spent with the children exploring what is distinctively Christian about our values. We strive to understand, build and sustain respectful relationships making our school a harmonious and cohesive community – where we can grow together and prepare for life.

Respect is ... 

 

• Knowing I am unique and valuable and feeling good about myself.
• Knowing other people are valuable too.
• Treating my surroundings and objects nicely and taking care of them
• Following rules and understanding they are there for a purpose.

 

Matthew 7:12:

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

 

 Forgiveness is...

 

• Understanding that everyone makes mistakes.
• Learning to accept an apology that is really meant.

• Moving forward and having a fresh start.

 

Ephesians 4 v32

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

 

 

 Courage is...

 

• A willingness to have a go.
• Having confidence to do something challenging.
• Not being afraid to make mistakes and showing resilience afterwards.
• Standing firm by one’s own faith, beliefs or courage of conviction.

 

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

 

 Perseverance is ...

 

• Being determined to achieve a goal.
• Understanding the need for patience.
• Enduring obstacles we face during our lives.

 

2 Chronicles 15:7

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

 

 

 

Friendship is ...

 

• Showing kindness.

• Encouraging each other.

• Showing empathy for others.

 

Proverbs 17 :17 

A friend loves at all times.

 

Our final value .... under review ! 

 

Our final current value of Tolerance was selected, along with our other values a number of years ago. In the rapidly changing and richly diverse world that we now live and grow in, we want for our children to be more than simply tolerant of the diversity they see. We want understanding to flourish, built on a strong foundation of respect; creating a loving community where everyone feels seen, included and welcomed. We provide opportunities for our children to become courageous advocates, where they feel supported to speak out against injustice and inequality. For these reasons we are looking to change our 6th value...to what... is yet to be decided ! We have a Vision and Values Day planned for the autumn term 2025 where we will explore this new value with the children, staff, Governors and wider school community - where the aim will be to find the final piece of our vales jigsaw that more fully represents and supports the growth of our vision of:

' Growing Together - Preparing For Life'

 

Spirituality

 

 At Greenford, spirituality encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices, embracing the diverse ways in which individuals find meaning, connection and purpose in life. For many, spirituality is about deepening relationships with oneself, others, the environment and for those who believe - a higher power exploring experiences beyond the everyday.

Spirituality Statement

 

We believe that it is very important to provide all children with a range of opportunities to help them develop spiritually. We believe that spiritual development can be explored through many different curriculum areas. We use the Windows, Mirrors and Doors model to support spiritual development.