Our Vision: ‘Small school, big heart, learning and growing together’
At St Mary’s we are a community, a family and a team.
Through our Christian ethos, we care and we nurture our children, preparing them for future life. We have high standards and set ambitious aims for our curriculum and outcomes for our children. Children at St Mary’s become independent, confident, inclusive learners who possess a love of lifelong learning and development of the whole self.
Our Christian Values: Compassion, Friendship, Koinonia and Trust
Christian values underpin the life and work of our school, and this is what makes our school distinctive. These include: Justice, Peace, Reverence, Creation, Service, Endurance, Thankfulness, Forgiveness, Hope, Humility, and Wisdom. We have consulted with all our stakeholders and have selected four as our core values. These are: Compassion, Friendship, Koinonia and Trust.
Even though we are many individuals, Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other.
Compassion
Compassion has roots in the idea of ‘suffering with’ someone, or putting yourself in their shoes. This leads to a desire to act and do something. Compassion requires an act of imagination and humility to share in the lives of others.
Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Friendship
Jesus teaches us to be a good friend. The friendship of David and Jonathan is very strongly emphasised in the Bible, Abraham is described as the friend of God (James 2:23) and Jesus explicitly calls his disciples not servants but friends (John 15:14 - 15). Trust, feeling comfortable in each other’s company, being able to share joys and sorrows are all features of friendship and these are things of immense value. True friendship enables each person to grow and ensures that the unique individuality of each person is recognised. All this echoes the value placed by God on the preciousness of each person.
A friend loves at all times.
If one falls down, a friend can lift him up.
Koinonia
Koinonia means ‘that which is common’ and is often translated from the Greek as ‘fellowship’ or ‘community’. Koinonia expresses the quality of relationship within the Christian community. It is based on fellowship with Jesus. The central element of being a family is interdependence: all are needed and valued and each person is important to the whole. The Christian church today continues to serve not only the Christian community, but any who are in need.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Trust
Trust is the very essence of faith; trust in the God who is trustworthy. Trust is to be valued and honoured. With wisdom and discernment, we can learn to trust. ‘Trust in the Lord’ is the central theme in the Psalms. Time and time again, God is acknowledged as the source of all security and strength.
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.