We cherish all the people in our school.
Our aim for them:
‘Life in all its fullness’
For us, this means people who are flourishing:
- people who have the wherewithal to shape their own life well;
- people who take a delight in learning;
- people who are compassionate, who appreciate the value and preciousness of each and every person and all life on earth;
hence people who help to make the world a better place.
‘I have come that you may have life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10)
At the heart of this school’s vision is a commitment to all the people in it; to an ethos and an approach that nurtures the human spirit…
…to helping provide them with what they need in order to thrive, to search for meaning and purpose and shared values to reflect deeply, engage bravely and have hope, to dream big, live life well and smile plenty; ‘becoming aware of the truth has a liberating effect; it releases energy and defogs one’s mind. As a result one is more independent, has one’s centre in oneself, and is more alive.’ E Fromm The Art of Being p.43
…to having a reverence for learning, for life; to recognising we are part of something bigger than ourselves; to recognising spirituality as something fundamental to the human condition; to supporting people to tap into their natural creativity, support them to make a valuable contribution; ‘..success like happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue….. as the unintended side-effect of one’s personal dedication to a course greater than oneself.’ Victor Frankl
To achieve our vision we need strong relationships, we need to trust each other…. we need to find connection… to actively listen to each other… to be kind…to be an ethical community… ‘I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship’ –Brené Brown. In our dealings with others, we must keep reminding ourselves that this is most of what everyone wants, ‘Beneath everything, all I was looking for was connection; to feel understood, heard and supported; to feel respected, safe and loved. D McGarvey
To achieve our vision we need to have integrity, to practice what we preach. The principles in this vision must permeate all thought and action; we must constantly and consistently model it. ‘I believe that education means to acquaint the young with the best heritage of the human race. But while much of this heritage is expressed in words, it is effective only if these words become reality in the person of the teacher and in the practice and structure of society. Only the word that has materialised in the flesh can influence man; the idea that remains a word influences only words.’ Erich Fromm Beyond The Chains of Illusion p.167
…to avoid a culture of comparison; … ‘If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself’ (Max Ehrmann, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiderata)… instead to nurture courage and humility; to recognise strength and appreciate variety, appreciate differences…to be fascinated by other people. We look to find what is great inside all of our children: we want to dig it out and share it with the world.
See also: Our Vision Statements