Christian Values

Schools and teachers are a major influence on the developing values of children and young people. Children learn values at school from relationships; everyday classroom interactions from the examples set by adults; and, from more formal attempts led by teachers to engage in values education.

Meaning, ethics and vision must shape the practice of education and as a church school we have the responsibility to ground our values in the teachings of the Christian Faith. It is our Christian tradition which gives our values content and the stories we share with children the values' moral substance.

We select 3 Values over the course of the school year to focus on. However, all the values underpin everything we do at Finstock Church of England Primary School and no one value is ever isolated from the others. 

Our Christian Values work within our foundations to help us fulfil our Vision (Providing all children with the highest level of academic curriculum and pastoral care, with opportunities for spiritual growth and intellectual enquiry.) and live out our Mission Statement (Excellence through faith, friendship, courage and respect.) 

 

The Teaching of Values at Finstock Church of England Primary School

These values are ones that are shared by many people in this country because the Christian faith has for centuries been a driving force in our education and legal system and those values have made their mark on our history.

We actively teach our values in all we do. They are the focus of our Collective Worships and our Class Reflection time. They help us develop our strong ethos.

Whilst Finstock Church of England Primary School is a Christian school, we strongly encourage our pupils to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance.

This term's Value is Friendship

1 Thessalonians 5:11 — “Encourage one another and build each other up."

Spiritual

Our words of wisdom from 1 Thessalonians 5:11 — “Encourage one another and build each other up” — help us think about friendship as something that grows in our hearts. We will explore sticking together, as Proverbs 18:24 teaches, and making time for each other, like Jesus does in Luke 10:38–42. Children might recognise this when they stay with a friend who feels sad or pause what they’re doing to listen. We will also celebrate Pentecost, learning how the Holy Spirit filled Jesus’ friends with courage and joy, showing how friendship can strengthen and inspire us.

Moral

We will think about the choices good friends make. We will learn about encouraging one another, returning to 1 Thessalonians 5:11, and supporting one another, inspired by the friends in Luke 5:17–39 who helped a man reach Jesus. Children might show this by cheering on a friend trying something new or helping someone who feels left out. We will also practise listening well, guided by Proverbs 17:17, which reminds us that “a friend loves at all times.”

Cultural

We will explore how friendship is celebrated in different traditions, including Pentecost, where Jesus’ friends came together with shared purpose. Children can link this to their own experiences—celebrating birthdays, playing in teams, or taking part in school events where everyone works together. By seeing how friendship is valued in many communities, pupils learn that kindness, teamwork, and being there for others matter to people everywhere.

 

Last term's Value was Justice

 

“Learn to do right; seek justice.” (Isaiah 1.17)

Spiritual Justice encourages children to recognise God’s desire for a world where everyone is treated with care and dignity. Guided by Isaiah 1.17, “Learn to do right; seek justice,” pupils reflect on how their actions can show compassion, kindness and respect. Spiritually, this value helps them understand that doing what is right is part of living out God’s love in everyday life.

Moral Justice supports children in developing a strong sense of right and wrong. Isaiah 1.17 inspires them to think carefully about their choices, consider the needs of others and take responsibility for their behaviour. Morally, they learn that fairness, honesty and courage are essential when deciding how to act and how to treat people in their school and wider community.

Cultural Justice encourages children to appreciate the richness of different cultures, backgrounds and experiences. By learning to “seek justice,” they explore how fairness and equality matter in every community. Culturally, this value helps them celebrate diversity, understand different viewpoints and work together to create a school environment where everyone feels valued and included.

 

Our first term's Value was Generosity 

Acts  20:35:  Remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  he  himself  said,  it  is  more   blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.

2  Corinthians  9.7:  God  loves  a  cheerful  giver

Spiritual

Jesus lived a life devoted to serving God and others, sometimes at great cost to himself. He taught that if we hold our money and possessions too tightly and use them only for ourselves, they will prevent us from knowing God's blessing. We teach that happiness does not necessarily increase with the number of material possessions we acquire.

Moral

Following the example of Jesus, we explore together the Christian understanding that all we have comes from God as a ‘gift’. These gifts, whether money, possessions, time, or abilities, are given in trust so that they may be used for the benefit of all in our school and in the wider community.

Social

As a community, we seek to create relationships characterized by a generosity of spirit, believing that, given a nurturing environment, each individual can flourish, achieve their full potential, and contribute positively to society.

Cultural

As a Church of England school, we seek to explore the lives of individuals such as Lord Shaftesbury and George Müller, who exemplified a joy in giving and who shaped the politics, culture, and values of modern Britain.