About us
Our Vision, Ethos and Curriculum
School Vision and Ethos
Our vision encapsulates our ethos:
Our vision is to be a school where every individual in our community is valued and enabled to flourish as a child of God; where education impacts upon the whole-person, and care and concern for others is key. We seek to be a truly inclusive community where all can 'Give of their Best', achieve their full God-given potential, be good citizens and respect difference in our growing global world.
- St John's Middle School Vision
We aim to be a school which is:
Inclusive - God wants to embrace all of humanity and gives value to each person. God loves all and gives all people the opportunity to receive his love and be part of his family. We reflect that vision by being a school community that seeks to include all, by giving each person value, dignity and an opportunity to belong and participate. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” (John 3.16)
Where all can achieve and give of their best - Worship is about giving of your best and being the best you can be. We reflect that vision by being a school community that has high expectations of all and offers opportunities and support to enable all to give of their best and to achieve their full potential. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbour as yourself." (Luke 10.27)
Where education impacts on the whole person - To say that “God is holy” is to refer to the wholeness, fullness, beauty, and abundant life that overflows within the Godhead. We reflect that vision by being a school community that seeks to educate the whole person in a way that can offer new starts and opportunities. “May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you will do it, because he is faithful.” (1 Thess 5:23-24)
Forgiveness
‘Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive others.’
Colossians 3:13
Love
'Love is more important than anything else. It's what ties everything completely together.'
Colossians 3:14
Integrity
’Good people are guided by their honesty, but crooks who lie and cheat will ruin themselves.'
Proverbs 11:3
Perseverance
'…we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.'
Hebrews 12:1b
Curriculum
‘Leaders regularly review the design of the curriculum across all subjects. They have clearly identified the key knowledge pupils need to learn, and considerable thought has gone into how pupils are assessed.’
Ofsted October 2023
At St. John’s we have opted to keep a traditional curriculum, which is broad and balanced and in which we aim to deliver the subject content very creatively. In Maths and English there is an emphasis on in depth learning where mastery takes precedence over acceleration. For example in Maths there is significant emphasis on high level investigational work and problem solving activities in all year groups. In all subjects the children are given a vast array of exciting and thought provoking learning experiences which will endeavour to give them a love of learning and depth of understanding that cannot be learnt from a text book.
The curriculum also aims to support the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of our pupils which helps to develop and prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. The curriculum has planned Enrichment Days in which we discuss and develop the children's understanding of our core Christian Values.
The curriculum at St. John's aims to support our ethos by:
- Actively promoting the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
- Promoting tolerance of, and respect for, people of other faiths, cultures and lifestyles
- Providing a balanced approach to pupils’ religious education which as Church of England School is Christian but encompasses all major world faiths