- Kindness
- Community
- Honesty
- Curiosity
- Creativity
- Ambition
- Hope
All children are encouraged to be members of a caring Christian community.
- How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver. (Proverb 16:16)
- Let your light shine before people, so they see the good work you do and praise your Father who is in Heaven. Matthew 5:16
- I have come in order that you might have life – life in all it’s fullness (John 10:10)
Our vision comes from Matthew chapter 5 verse 16
It is important that we and our children understand where this comes from in the bible.
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5 versus 3-10, we are told about the Sermon on the Mount. Here Jesus addresses a crowd and reveals eight blessings (known as The Beatitudes) basically these are eight attitudes that people can exhibit to be blessed. From a Christian perspective, the Beatitudes teach that people can be blessed even in difficult times because they will receive eternity in heaven. They also teach that people can be blessed for having honourable qualities, such as being merciful, peacemakers, and meek.
- Blessed are the poor in spirit: Some say this means knowing that you need God's help.
- Blessed are those who mourn: Some say this means being sad about what makes God sad, such as sad situations or when others are sad.
- Blessed are the meek: Some say this means being humble and patient, and choosing other ways to resolve conflicts without violence.
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, blessed if you are living in a way that please God
- Blessed are the merciful: Jesus said that people are blessed if they are kind and generous.
- Blessed are the pure in heart: Jesus’ heart perfectly free from sin. We have choices.
- Blessed are the peacemakers: Jesus said that people are blessed if they help others get along.
- Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness: those treated badly because of your faith in Jesus
Jesus then continued to talk to the crowd about salt and light.
As a Christian school family, we seek to follow the example of Jesus in all that we do. We believe that the Sermon on the Mount is a vital chapter in scripture, teaching us to let the light of Jesus shine through us. We take great encouragement from the words "you are the light of the world"; this reveals to us that Jesus, who himself tells us "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), is within all of us. We are all God's children and are called to "give glory" to our Father in heaven through our "good works". This reminds us of the importance of our actions. Our actions allow us to let our light shine. Our actions allow us to share the light of Jesus with those around us.
We want our school to be a beacon that shines far and wide, lighting up our region with the light of Jesus through our work, rest and play. By learning about Christian values, by listening to the teachings of Jesus, and by following the example of Jesus, we say to every member of our community: let your light shine. We believe that every child and adult can shine and that this can be for the benefit of all.
We recognise that we are all special in God’s eyes and have unique talents, which we nurture so that each of us has the opportunity to become the very best person that God intended us to be. We want to see everyone being inspired by this and growing as a result. We want to see children flourishing and excelling in everything that they do through providing rich experiences which give everyone the opportunity to achieve more than they ever thought possible. We do not want the brilliant things that we do and learn to be
hidden. We want to encourage our children to aspire to great things and for the light of their lives to shine and make a difference in their classrooms, throughout the school and when they return home and into their community.
As we all demonstrate our Christian values, in a supportive atmosphere of mutual respect and trust, our hope is that light will shine from Alveston in many ways, every day - for the benefit of all and for the glory of God.
Fundamental to our ethos is our belief in developing a sense of self-worth is of paramount importance, building our self-esteem is so important. When he was on earth, Jesus once said: ‘I am the light of the world’ (John 8:12). However, as he spoke to those around him during the Sermon on the Mount, he also used these words: ‘You are the light of the world’.
In addition to letting their light shine on others, we want our children to recognise the value of their own light: to be proud of their personal achievements; to value and respect themselves; and to know how loved they are both by God and by others. If all of us work on developing a Growth Mindset, children and adults alike, we will be able to face the future with hope and aspiration and embrace all that life has to offer.
The words of the Sermon on the Mount remind us that a light should not be put under a bowl – it should give light to everyone, including ourselves.
