What does it mean to be a Church school?
"Let your light shine"
Mt5v16
Love Friendship Thankfulness Fellowship Resilience Courage Trust Respect
What makes us a distinctive Church of England primary school?
Our Christian vision
“Let your light shine” — Matthew 5:16
At Oake, Bradford and Nynehead, we want every child to feel valued and know that they have something to offer. Our Christian vision encourages us to recognise each child’s strengths, support them through challenges and help them grow in confidence.
We put this into practice through our teaching, relationships and involvement in the community. Shining our light might mean persevering with something new, welcoming someone into a game or speaking up when something is unfair.
We welcome children and families of all faiths and none. Children are encouraged to ask questions, explore beliefs and listen thoughtfully to different views.
Our vision in action
Each week, adults across the school nominate children for a Christian Values Certificate to recognise thoughtful choices and actions.
A Year 6 child recently received a certificate for fellowship after consistently helping Reception children settle into their new lunchtime routines. Another child received a certificate for love after supporting a classmate during guided reading.
Sharing these examples helps children reflect on what our values mean. They see that our values are more than words: they shape how we treat one another each day.
Collective worship and assemblies
Coming together gives us time to reflect, sing, share stories and celebrate our school community. Our Christian vision is at the heart of collective worship.
Our weekly programme is:
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday, | Story assembly led by Mrs Bond |
| Tuesday | Singing worship led by Miss Wheeler |
| Wednesday | No Outsiders assembly led by Mrs Lemon |
| Thursday | Class assembly |
| Friday | Sharing and celebration assembly led by Mrs Bond |
Celebrating our children
Our Friday assembly is a chance to celebrate children’s learning, effort and contributions to school life. Alongside our Christian Values Certificates, we award British Values Certificates.
These recognise children’s developing understanding of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. Everyday examples might include taking part fairly in a class vote, respecting another person’s views or explaining why rules help keep everyone safe.
We want every child to know that their efforts and the kindness they show are noticed and valued.