Christian Distinctiveness
Our vision and values underpin everything we do and inform every decision we make.
Our Vision Statement
Through our Christian faith we show respect, trust and compassion to all people within our school community.
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.
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.