Christian Values
Hope Forgiveness Courage Friendship Trust
At CCA these are the 5 key values we hold at the centre of our school.
FORGIVNESS
1 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 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 weather 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 form 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.
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.
2 Timothy 1. 7: For the Spirit God gave us does not male us timid but gives us power, love and self -discipline.
Spiritual Jesus lived in the assurance that his Father God would provide all that he needed. This gave him the courage to face even the cross. At our school, the words from the book Timothy (see above) guide the way we approach any challenges that face us.
Moral Learning from Jesus, we recognise that taking the 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 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 Christina faith 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.
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-sacrifice 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 religion, 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.
TRUST
John 14. 1: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust in me.
1 Corinthians 13. 6-7: Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Spiritual Jesus demonstrated his trust in God throughout his life. He also entrusted his ongoing work in the world to his special friends – the disciples, and ultimately to us. We explore together the Christian understanding of being the Body of Christ on earth.
Moral We try to follow the example of Jesus and trust each person in our school who live by our core Christian values including truthfulness, respect and justice. We encourage children to reflect on why trust is so crucial in our relationships and hat the consequences might be when it is broken. Our experience in school has been that this trust is rarely betrayed but we know that when it is breaks down, forgiveness is needed and the capacity to offer a new start.
Social As a community, trust is the glue that holds our relationship together. To develop character, we give each individual important responsibilities (with appropriate support) and, in so doing, seek to encourage trustworthiness from the youngest age.
Cultural We recognise that in the wider culture of our nation, citizens are trusted to live by the laws of our country. We trust that our leaders (children and grown-ups), in school and in the wider nation, will have the highest moral and ethical standards and will lead with integrity. We teach the skills required to respectfully hold to account those in authority.