Vision & Values

Our Vision

‘Dream, Believe, Achieve-Growing together in love’

Our school aim is that every child should develop his/her full intellectual, physical, emotional, social and spiritual potential. It also states that children will develop 'Respect for God and an understanding of the Christian Faith.' This is one of the core foundations for daily life at our school. Our School motto ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve’ growing together in love, is firmly rooted in Jesus’ vision of the kingdom of God as described in the parable of the mustard seed, Mark 4v30- 32.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

Our Values

Our school exists to provide a welcoming environment in which everybody is cherished and challenged to fulfil their potential

 We have 3 core Christian values that underpin everything we do at Downton CE VA Primary School. These were agreed upon together by staff, parents and pupils. They are:

• Love

• Peace

• Joy

These values are all relevant to how the Bible teaches us to be good citizens of our community and the link between these and the Christian faith is made explicit to the children in the daily life of our school.

All children are welcome at Downton CE Primary School, of all faiths or none. The school is a community that upholds Christian Beliefs and Values. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers all pupils.

These Beliefs and values underpin our vision and are supportive of all we aim to achieve
for everyone who comes to our school. Our school values reflect important principles that we wish to encourage and explore during our time at Downton CE Primary School and which will contribute to making us thoughtful citizens of the future.

As a Church School, we are a community founded on Christian Values. These values underpin our vision, provide a basis for our principles and support everything that we aim to achieve for all who come to our school. These values are lived out in our School to encourage an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith through the experience it offers all pupils.

Creating our Vision and Values

Whole school training days were used to develop and create our new set of Vision and Values.

Staff Meeting 1 to order values in small groups and start to design an image to represent our Vision and Values.

Staff Meeting 2 linking a Bible Story to our Vision and Values and confirming the concept for our image linked to feedback from Parents and Governors.

The children had input in confirming our Vision and Values and designing their own ideas for our school image. The Worship Council discussed the Vision and Values in child-led Worship.

Whole School RE Day linked to embedding our Vision and Values into our Bible story and creating our 3D image.

Our School’s Spirituality Statement

Downton Primary School is committed to being a community which promotes spiritual development. We have a strong links with the local community and work closely with many different groups including the local schools, churches, businesses and charity groups.

Spirituality looks outwards to reflect on the natural world, the environment and human capacities and achievement. It looks inwards to reflect on beliefs, values, feelings, hopes, dreams, ideals and aspirations. This reflection shapes the way we think, and feel about creation, ourselves, and other people, and how we respond.

Our Christian values of Love, Peace, Respect, Compassion, Responsibility and Friendship will deepen as we develop our spirituality within the life of the school supported by our Worship Council.

Inclusivity Statement

Downton Primary School is committed to creating a hospitable, nurturing community where life can be lived amicably together without fear, and where all are able to learn and achieve. We are committed to valuing and upholding the dignity of all pupils, staff, parents and carers, irrespective of religious faith, ethnicity, gender identity, individual needs, age, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.