Our Christian Vision
Let your Light Shine!
In the Spring term 2023, we consulted our whole school community about the Christian values that they believed were the most important for us to be focusing on. What values did we hope our pupils would leave us with? What values would we want to see in the Yateley Village community? What values would best prepare our children for their futures as global citizens? Out of the consultation came our Christian vision and values:
We nurture, inspire and equip compassionate, courageous, creative individuals to let their light shine, living life in all its fullness, flourishing and making a positive contribution to the world.
At Cranford Park, we are proud to be an inclusive Church of England School. Our vision and values of compassion, courage and creativity guide all that we do, running through our school like a stick of rock, shaping our policies, curriculum and the wider opportunities we offer our children. We aim to stay true to our Christian vision and values throughout the day, whether learning in class, enjoying our friendships, or engaging with the wider community. We seek to develop these characteristics in all our pupils, preparing them to be reflective and responsible members of society.
Our School vision and values are based in the Christian narrative of Jesus’ teaching in the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ and in particular, the symbolism of shining a light on the individuals who together make up our wonderful community. We have adopted the phrase ‘Let your light shine!’ to sum up our vision for our children and school community.
Jesus said…
14 “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
Our vision also has Jesus’ promise of ‘life in all its fullness’ at its heart. Jesus said, ‘I have come that you may have life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10). We encourage our children to embrace opportunities, give things a go with a growth mindset and thus we support them to flourish.
We actively teach these values to our children, through our curriculum, our assemblies and our day-to-day interactions in the classrooms, the playground and beyond the school gates. We encourage our children always to reflect these values in their own behaviour and choices and we model this for them. We also reward and celebrate children when we see our values in action. They underpin everything that we do in and out of school.
In addition to our own vision and values, we fully support the Church of England’s vision for education, for the common good of the whole community, which has Jesus’ promise of ‘life in all its fullness’ at its heart.
Educating for wisdom, knowledge and skills: enabling discipline, confidence and delight in seeking wisdom and knowledge, and developing talents in all areas of life.
Educating for hope and aspiration: enabling healing, repair and renewal, coping wisely when things go wrong, opening horizons and guiding people into ways of fulfilling them.
Educating for community and living well together: a core focus on relationships, participation in communities and the qualities of character that enable people to flourish together.
Educating for dignity and respect: the basic principle of respect for the value and preciousness of each person, treating each person as a unique individual of inherent worth.