Statement of ethos and values

Stella Maris is a Christian community founded on love for one another and a drive to build God’s kingdom here and now.  In this context we strive to help fulfil the statement of St Paul, that ‘we are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it’ (Ephesians 2:10).

At Stella Maris we have created an ethos built on two sets of values – Ethical Values and Learning Values – that are interlinked through the curriculum we offer.

Our Mission Statement says:

• Our school mission is what God sent us into the world to do – to help build His kingdom through learning, playing and making friends together.
• The tools we will use to do this are: Caring, Sharing, Love, Trust and Respect

These ‘five words’ are our Ethical Values – they are reflected in our way of life and the way in which we support and promote good behaviour.

Our Learning Values are the attitudes and attributes we work to promote amongst our learners:

• Independence: ‘In our school we want each person to have the confidence to develop their own ideas and the freedom to express them’;
• Interdependence: ‘In our school we want each person to have the attitude and ability to work together towards shared goals and aspirations in a secure and supportive environment’;
• Creativity: ‘In our school we want each person to be able to think for themselves in order to create new knowledge and to develop the confidence to solve problems’;
• Challenge: ‘In our school we want each person to surprise themselves by achieving more than they thought they could through having the security to value risks in their learning, playing and relationships’;
• Thinking: ‘In our school we want everyone to make a success of their lives by increasing their capacity for effective thought and then harnessing its power’;
• Spirituality: ‘In our school we want everyone to appreciate that they are on a personal journey where everyday experience contributes to valuing themselves and others, and reaffirms the meaning of their lives’.

These two sets of values combine to produce a loving community where learners are prepared for life as responsible citizens able to make a valued contribution to society.

Our values are also the vehicle through which we promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

(Promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC in schools: Departmental advice for maintained schools – November 2014)

Actively promoting these values means that we will always challenge opinions or behaviours in school that are contrary to them.