Our School Vision

Like a lighthouse, St Michael’s is a beacon of safety and stability. It takes courage to learn and remember knowledge, develop new skills and allow your own light to shine in the world. We respect our differences and know that working peacefully together allows our lights to shine more brightly.

'Let your light shine' Matthew 5:16

Our School Aims

For our children to:  

Learn and remember the skills and knowledge they need for the next phase of education   

Love and enjoy books and reading   

For school to be:  

a place of safety and stability  

a place where we nurture a Christian character  

For staff and children to:   

respect differences and live and work peacefully with each other 

Our Christian Values

To achieve these aims all learners, staff, parents and governors will work together to promote our Core Values of Peace, Courage and Respect.

Our British Values

The Department for Education states that there is a duty for school to actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance to those of different faiths and beliefs."

The Government originally set out these values in its 2011 ‘Prevent’ strategy.

Democracy

Democracy is an important value at our school. Pupils are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard through our School Parliament.

The election of members of the School Parliament are based on pupil votes reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action. Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Parliament, questionnaires and the school website. Children in Year 6 are involved in debating workshops.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced. Our school has The St Michael's Way, which is deeply embedded in all that we do in school from Reception through to Year 6.

If children make the wrong decision regarding their behaviour, they are given the opportunity to reflect and make the correct choice. Our pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.

Individual Liberty

Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices at our school, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and a creative curriculum.

Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our online-safety teaching and via Discovery PSHE Education.

Mutual Respect

The Core Values at St Michael's are: Peace, Courage and Respect.

Both pupils and staff understand that respect is essential in order for us to exist in harmony with each other. It is expected that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have and to everything, however big or small.

Children and adults alike, including visitors, are challenged if they are disrespectful in any way. The Core Values and the St Michael's Way are highly visible around the school and can be seen in posters and as part of our agreed behavioural codes.

Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

Our core values of ‘Peace’ and 'Respect' ensure tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs.

At St Michael's we are very proud of the mixed heritage of our children. 62% of our children have English as an Additional Language, which encompasses numerous religions and up to 56 Languages. Our school celebrates the different faiths and beliefs of our families and everyone works together in harmony.

We enhance pupils' understanding of different faiths and beliefs through religious education studies, international days, visits to a range of places of worship and inviting pupils and parents into class to talk about their own faith.