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  • Christian Distinctiveness

     

    Our Vision and Values

    Our Vision Statement

    Through our Christian faith we show respect, trust and compassion to all people within our school community.

    Our Values

    The school has six values - compassion, respect, trust, thankfulness, courage and perseverance.

    These values, which are the focus of collective worship, are taught explicitly using the publication ‘Roots and Fruits’ as a starting point, and shared with parents through the school website and newsletters.

    Every week, one Collective Worship is led by the local ‘Open the Book’ team, offering our children an opportunity to experience major Bible stories through storytelling and drama. Further opportunities to learn about the Bible comes through the Bible exhibitions held at Marden Vale led by the Calne Free Church.

    Close links with our Parish Church enables our children to celebrate major events and Christian festivals at St. Mary the Virgin’s Church throughout the year.

    Our vision and values underpin everything we do and inform every decision we make.

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    Spiritual Development

    At Marden Vale we seek to promote spiritual development – helping our children to know themselves better, reflect on their own experiences, explore important questions of how to live and treat others and ultimately to reach a set of beliefs and values by which to guide their lives.

    Through whole school worship and class worship we offer our children opportunities:

    • to be quiet, reflecting on life and developing an awareness of God;
    • to give thanks to God;
    • to use a variety of prayers, including their own –spoken aloud or silently;
    • explore and express feelings and emotions;
    • develop respect for others;

    Through all aspects of school life we aim to give our children:

    • a sense of personal identity and self-worth - as created in God’s image;
    • an awareness of God’s love and care for them personally;
    • a capacity for awe and wonder; and
    • an understanding of the Christian belief of Jesus as Saviour.

    Collective Worship

    With God, all things are possible" - Matthew 19:26

    Daily acts of collective worship are provided and through these we aim to:

    • Provide opportunities for children to worship and explore their own beliefs, and to praise and reach out to God.
    • Express praise and gratitude; recognition of vulnerability as humans, pray for oneself and others.
    • Reaffirm and practise the aims and values of our school.
    • Stimulate reflection and spiritual growth within the school.
    • Develop a sense of belonging, sharing, caring and responsibility.
    • Celebrate Christian beliefs, ideals, values and experiences.
    • Promote feelings of awe and wonder, love, compassion and personal relationships.
    • Share emotions such as love, hope, friendship, acceptance, fear, reverence, forgiveness and trust.
    • Offer children the time to reflect, respond and have reverence for things which are of worth, and which have great meaning in people's lives.

    Our acts of worship take place daily and will be held either in the school hall (for the whole school or key stage) or in the classrooms, school grounds or in the church.  The participation and involvement of children is positively encouraged. This is achieved through the use of music, art, poetry, drama, artefacts, reflection and silence.  We also include traditional elements of worship such as prayers, hymns and bible stories.  Time is allowed for thought and silence and opportunities for pupil involvement.

                                                      

    Our daily acts of collective worship are:

    Monday 8:55am 

    Whole school worship led by staff on a rota basis

    Tuesday

    8:55am

    Whole school worship led by the Head Teacher / Deputy Head

    Wednesday

    10:30am

    Open the Book worship for the whole school

    Thursday 

    8:55am

    Whole singing practice led by music lead

    Friday

    2:45pm

    Celebration Assembly celebrating the week's achievements in and out of school led by the Head Teacher or Deputy Head