Our Christian Vision, Values & Aims
The Minster Junior School is part of the Southwark Diocese Board of Education Multi-Academy Trust. We are the church school for The Minster, Croydon.
Please click here to find out more about The Minster, Croydon.
At The Minster Junior School, we aim to;
- to recognise that each individual is a unique person within God’s creation
- to offer a secure, enjoyable and caring environment;
- to inspire all pupils to achieve and make substantial and sustained progress in their learning;
- to support the children to develop independence, confidence and self-esteem;
- to promote the School’s core values in all our lives;
- to provide a challenging and creative curriculum that motivates children and supports their positive attitudes to learning;
- to encourage tolerance, understanding and respect for religious, moral and cultural values of others;
Christian Vision
Our Christian vision is rooted in the Trinitarian God who is the source of all and enables us to flourish from the actions and teachings of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our vision guides us in all that we hope to be, enabling every part of our community to grow and develop.
‘Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good’
Hebrews 10:24
Our school vision unifies our multi faith, diverse community and places the values of love, care and cooperation at the heart of all we do for each other.
It reflects a Christian understanding of God as the Holy Trinity:
Valuing children of the heavenly father. This emphasises how we as individuals all need to care and show love for every other member of our community.
Using the example of Jesus Christ in a way that we show this concern and care following his example. Reflecting on how the Holy Spirit fosters a spirit of creativity and loving kindness within our school community.
Our beliefs about the world: ‘I would choose good over bad accepting responsibility for our decisions’ (Joshua 24:15). We are aspirational for our pupils and are embedding the foundations to enable our children to make considered choices and be capable of being examples to others in the community and beyond.
It reflects our beliefs by showing inclusion to all in our community. Children are expected to encourage each other to do their best; to strive for excellence in all areas of school life. Being tolerant and understanding to the needs of each other, helps us to grow and develop into model citizens. ‘Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone’ (Romans 12:18)
As a Church of England school that has links with Croydon Minster, we believe in serving our community based on the love of God for everyone. This means that we are an inclusive school who welcomes all. In doing this we draw heavily upon Jesus’ teaching ‘Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)
Our Christian vision is lived out by: ensuring all decisions are made with the focus of being concerned for one another and all children; they are at the heart of all we do, so that all children and staff can flourish.
Our distinctively Christian Values are the out working of our deeply Christian Vision. These form the framework on which we build our school community, embedded in our actions, our planning and our policies. Our Christian Values permeate the life of the school. As we go through the day, the children and adults aim to live out these Values and show them in many practical ways. We ensure that diversity and difference is celebrated and a harmonious culture is at the heart of everything we do at school where all beliefs are respected.
Although we are always mindful of all 12 Christian Values, each month we focus on one in particular. Each month’s value is especially evident in our Collective Worship, but will also be explored and celebrated further in PSHE, Art, Music, RE wherever opportunities arise in other curriculum areas. We want these Values to help us actively live out our Vision. They colour and shape our aims, our character, our ethos and subsequently the experience of learning that all our children have here.
An aspirational and target driven school improvement plan is written to continue to raise standards and seeks to meet the needs of the community. A rich, diverse curriculum fosters spirituality in all; supporting our children to develop a growth mind set. Teachers show their concern for children by recognising where they are on their learning journey and preparing them for the next stage of life. We ensure children are embedded with a wealth of cultural capital to enrich and enhance their learning experiences both in the school and community. Children show courageous advocacy by making a positive contribution to society for example, work with Croydon Refugee Centre, fund raising for facilities in the community and engaging in worldwide initiatives.
We seek to be a reflective, peaceful school where all can flourish and virtue can be developed.
Recently we have received Gold Mark Sports Award for inclusion in sports and extra-curricular activities. We also encourage children to have a care for the environment and are working towards an Eco Schools status.
Our Christian vision has been developed by Senior Leadership Team/Governors/Faith group/in consultation with a parent focus group.
British Values
The Minster Junior School is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multicultural, multi-faith and ever changing nature of the United Kingdom.