As a Church of England School, our Christian Values underpin all that we do. At planned points in the year we focus on a specific value in order to gain a better understanding of how these values impact the way that we live. The values are displayed around our school and in all of our classrooms and are regularly referred to to help the children fully understand what they mean and how they link to their own lives. Our Collective Worships link closely to the values being explored at the point and provide further opportunity for learning, reflection and application.  

Our values are the foundations of our behaviour policy, and we use them to talk to the children about their actions, to help them understand consequences. This then helps them to make changes and choices to ensure they are following our values within school and in their own lives at home.

The Christian Values have been an integral part of our school vision and ethos for a number of years. They were decided as part of a working party group of teachers, parents, governors and children and throughout the years have grown and evolved to underpin all that we do. In creating the Christian Values we recognised the great need for them to be rooted in biblical teaching. We want to help children understand what these values mean for us as people in an ever changing world and how Jesus' teaching around these values can help us to be valued members of society. 

At St. Margaret's CE Primary School, we have seven Christian values which are at the heart of school life. These are:

• Friendship
• Forgiveness
• Respect
• Truthfulness
• Perseverance
• Thankfulness
• Citizenship (community)

Friendship 

Biblical background: Christians believe they can call God their friend because of the relationship made possible through Jesus. Jesus was criticised for being the 'friend of sinners' and eating with those whom society rejected. Sharing a meal with someone is an explicit sign of friendship and the word 'companion' literally means 'one with whom you share bread'.

Bible stories: 

• Jesus' special friends (choosing the twelve disciples)
• The healing of the paralysed man

Associated bible verse:

• Encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5: 11)

Today we were challenged to find out if the value of friendship was 'embedded' in our school. First we found out what embedded meant and then we went into most of the classes and on to the playground to see if any people were showing this value.  There were lots of people showing friendship but some people shone through.

For example:

We saw Jake in year 6 helping a Year 1 pupil to find sellotape to attach his Poppy.

We saw some of the Year 5 boys playing nicely together.

We saw Jerrod helping his partner in ICT.

We saw Tristan and a friend sitting and chatting nicely on the picnic benches at playtime.

Chris, the lunchtime sports man, told us that the Year 4s who attended multisports were, "superb and really helped the Year 3s." 

At St Margaret's the children and adults make an effort to be nice and kind to one another.  Everyone at St Margaret's is very good at looking out for one another and building each other up.  We are all very good at showing all of our values including friendship and we are sure that will carry on.

 By Poppy & Gia (Year 5), Values Investigators.

Below are some of the pictures we took.

Forgiveness

Biblical background: Forgiveness is the means by which damaged relationships are restored. It is an act of will, motivated by love. For Christians, Jesus' death on the cross is the ultimate revelation of God's all forgiving love, and his sacrifice stands as a source of inspiration to forgive others, no matter what the cost.

Bible stories:

• Zacchaeus the tax collector
• The prodigal son
• Two men who owed money - Benjamin and Joshua

Associated bible verse:

• Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive others. (Colossians 3:13)

Perseverance 

Biblical background: Jesus frequently encouraged his disciples to 'endure patiently' the difficulties and obstacles they encountered and to persevere in the face of adversity. He himself trusted in God even when his enemies tried to stop his work and plotted his death.

Bible stories:

• Mary and Joseph travelling to Egypt
• Jeremiah perseveres
• Noah and the Ark
• Daniel in the Lion's Den

Associated bible verse:

• 'I can do all things through him who strengthens me.' (Philippians 4:13)

Thankfulness 

Biblical background: Christians believe that God loves and cares for them in many different ways in all aspects of their lives. They know that their response to this provision should be one of thankfulness and praise.

Bible stories:

• Psalm 148 - a song of praise to God
• Paul and Silas is prison (Acts 16)
• The healing of the ten lepers
• The loaves and the fishes
• The Good Samaritan

Associated bible verse:

• Always be thankful. (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

Respect

Biblical background: The nature of God, as revealed in the Bible, presents all people with a choice. Those whose response is one of respect are acknowledging God's greatness, authority and involvement in the world. This will extend to respect for creation, including humanity made in the image of God.

Bible stories:

• The Roman Centurion
• Jesus goes to the Temple

Associated bible verse:

• 'Do to others as you would have them do to you.' (Matthew 7: 12)

Truthfulness

Biblical background: Christians believe that truth is revealed in the Bible and supremely in the person and life of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus' teaching, we are given an insight into the nature of God and the way in which he means us to live. 

Bible stories:

• Jacob and Esau
• The parable of the hidden treasure
• Joseph and his brothers
• Adam and Eve

Associated bible verse:

• 'Tell the truth to each other.' (Zechariah 8: 16)

Citizenship

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