Christian Distinctiveness

School Vision Statement

Stepping out boldly with God: ‘Jesus said, follow me.'

Matthew 9.9

Pauntley is an inclusive and caring school of choice. We are child-focussed, with core values to enable us all to follow Jesus’s example and so flourish and contribute to the local community and the world God loves.

At Pauntley we have three core values which were chosen by the pupils:
Respect, Friendship and Courage.

The three core values (outlined above) are central to all that we do in school and have their roots in biblical stories.

Courage – ‘David & Goliath’

Respect – ‘Moses and the burning bush’

Friendship – ‘Healing the lame man’

The children understand these stories and can relate them to life today.

How our vision and values permeate school life at Pauntley:

Our children come from a range of backgrounds. At Pauntley we believe that all children are equal in God’s eyes and that by following Jesus’ example we can all achieve our potential whilst supporting one another and caring for the world God has given to us.

School life is full of challenges and our small numbers mean that in certain circumstances these are more pronounced than they would be in a larger setting. However, at Pauntley this is seen as an opportunity to develop. Forming friendships; dealing with conflict; supporting younger children; accessing more complex areas of the curriculum alongside older peers and stepping up to represent the school in various situations (sports events/plays/leading worship etc) are all challenges that require the children to be courageous; follow Jesus' example and draw on the support that faith in God gives in order to 'step out boldly' and succeed.

The core values of Courage, Friendship and Respect underpin all that is done at Pauntley, as identified below, in this way we are following Jesus’ example both in school and in all that we do.

Respect:

The school expects its pupils to show respect for each other and adults in and beyond the school community. Pupils are encouraged to value their own and other people’s belongings.

We also celebrate the work and achievements of everyone in our school community in regular Celebration Worships.

Our school is set amongst beautiful countryside and our curriculum has a large focus on outdoor learning. Children are taught to respect the environment and to be stewards of God's Earth.

Furthermore, we show respect for others less fortunate than ourselves by fundraising and raising awareness both in and out of school.

Friendship:

The school expects its pupils to find ways of supporting other pupils, restore broken friendships and promote reconciliation.

Our children understand inclusivity; support and equality and through this form long lasting friendships across the entire school community.

Our classrooms are supportive environments that celebrate mistakes; encourage challenge and resilience and offer the chance for peers to work together as friends to reach their full potential.

Courage:

The school encourages its pupils to be courageous. Our pupils will face challenges and they have to find courage to overcome them.

Children regularly take part in inter-school events; sports fixtures; drama productions; Church services and much more that requires them to show courage.

Furthermore, our entire curriculum is filled with opportunities to challenge thinking; extend learning and support children in making courageous decisions whilst all the time making progress.