Exe ValleyChurch School Vision
SILVERTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL VISION STATEMENT
This document starts with our school vision statement and explains its theological underpinning and why we have chosen to use this image and bible verse. We have then explained our school values and finally, outlined how our vision statement links to the Exe Valley Federation, Diocese of Exeter and Church of England visions for education. This helps us to understand how we fit into the wider family of church schools at local, regional and national levels.
Our Church School vision for education
“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
Silverton C of E School was originally established in 1847 and its Trust Deed stated that it is to be a school “for the education of the poor female children of the parish of Silverton” and for “promoting the education of the poor in the principles of the established Church.” Much has changed since then but the well-being and education of our children remains at the heart of everything we do. The school’s vision and values are built on this principle and our status as a church school is an intrinsic part of our work. The image of a tree being planted by water and being nourished so that it flourishes in good times and hard times and continues to bear fruit, has been chosen because of the Silverton Oak Tree and the trees in the grounds of the school which make it a special place to live and work.
At the centre of the village of Silverton, there was a huge oak tree, which was believed to be 700 years old, until it unexpectedly fell down after a storm in January 2024. The BBC said that it had been described as a symbol of the village as it was used on the emblems of the primary school and parish council. The classes at the school are named after different trees and we have our own oak tree in the grounds as well as lots of other beautiful trees around us. When we were thinking about a what was important to the school, the concept of a tree came quickly to mind and the words of Jeremiah Chapter 17 v 7 and 8 connect the emblem of an oak tree with the blessing of God on those who trust in him and are able to continue to bear fruit, even in challenging times.
The school predominantly serves its local community in Mid-Devon and agriculture provides a significant amount of employment in the village. There are pockets of disadvantage within the village and there is a certain amount of cultural deprivation and lack of aspiration and low expectations. In common with many rural areas, there is a lack of cultural diversity, so the school has to work hard to broaden children’s horizons and raise expectations. The school has strong links with the local churches and community and has been a consistent feature of the village for generations, serving successive generations of the same families.
Our Church School values for education
Supporting our vision, are our five values; dignity, community, hope, wisdom and love, which underpins all the others. We believe that these values help us to fulfil our vision and to enable our lives to be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. We try to reflect Paul’s description of love. ’Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not selfish, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in bad things but it rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’ [1 Corinthians 13: 4-7].
Love shapes who we are, how we relate to each other and how we learn together. Everyone in our community is valued, known and loved. Because of this love, we treat each other with dignity. We recognise the intrinsic worth of each other and talk kind with each other to encourage and build each other up. We take our inspiration from the way that Jesus cared for people on the edges of society and how his interactions changed their lives. We find this in the example of Jesus’ interactions with Zacchaeus, when he said to the tax collector, “Zacchaeus, I must stay at your house today.” [Luke 19 v 1 to 10].
Being part of a loving, learning community, we understand that when we work well together we can achieve more than when we work alone. Building strong community is the foundation of who we are, recognising and valuing each other’s’ strengths and talents. We draw inspiration from 1 Corinthians 12, recognising that we are a body of different parts of equal value, as well as Paul’s exultation to the Thessalonians to ‘Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.’ [1 Thessalonians 5 v 11].
In any dynamic community, things do not always go well but we recognise that failure does not need to have the last word. As a church school we value the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation and want to support children realise their full potential, broaden their horizons and have hope for the future. We draw inspiration from Jeremiah, who reminds us that God has plans for each of us to prosper us and give us hope for a future [“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29 v 11].
Finally, we want our children to be life-long learners, to build strong foundations and to grow in wisdom. Luke records in his gospel that Jesus, “Grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.” [Luke 2 v 40]. This includes knowing how to apply the things they know and creating their own ethical and moral compass. It also includes knowing how to discern which “voices” to listen to and where to draw inspiration. As a school community, we draw our inspiration from Galatians 5, where we are told the fruits of living God’s way are joy, peace, patience, perseverance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Like a Tree by Water Statement - Powerpoint
Our Federation vision for education
Our school is part of the Exe Valley Federation group of schools, which includes three church schools and four community schools in Mid and East Devon. The federation’s vision statement is:
“In a creative, caring environment, we all support and challenge each other to develop confidence and independence. As active global citizens, we are inspired to discover and succeed in lifelong learning.”
The Federation’s vision statement was devised in 2016, with contributions from all stakeholders from the original three member schools. It has been refined once since then but has largely remained unaltered because it reflects what we believe is most important to our family of schools. It links to the school’s vision in the following ways:
Challenge
In the Old Testament, the story of the people of Israel is one of sustaining a vision through difficult times and good times as well. The image of a tree encourages us to put our roots down in the word of God to sustain us and in our everyday life to promote a culture of high expectations, and by challenging and supporting each other in the best way possible through our curriculum design, teaching and learning.
Discover
As we grow in confidence in the Lord, we learn to value each other, with all our differences and to learn from our mistakes. We also discover how we can contribute to the world around us and make a positive difference to our schools, communities and the environment.
Succeed
Having our roots nourished by the word of God and the teachings of Jesus and the church, enables us to succeed, even when times are hard. As we share these blessings with those around us, we will be able to share success in many different forms. Like a tree planted by water, we will equip our children to be safe, happy and confident so that they can achieve the best possible outcomes.
The school’s vision statement fits into the context of the Church of England, the Diocese of Exeter and the Exe Valley Federation’s vision statements in the following ways:
Our Diocesan and Church of England vision for education
The school’s vision statement fits into the context of the Church of England and the Diocese of Exeter’s vision statements in the following ways:
The Church of England’s vision for education:
Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good.
The Church of England’s vision for education, ‘Deeply Christian, serving the common good’, echoes the school’s vision to shine as ab example of hope and service in the world, following the teachings of Jesus and the church through the years.
The Diocese of Exeter’s vision for education:
To enable all, through the love of God in Jesus Christ, to ‘live life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10b); nurture vision-inspired education, nourish personal and spiritual growth and enable connected communities that flourish.
The concept of enabling children and adults to flourish is recognised by the Diocese of Exeter’s vision for education and this concept has been helpful to us in creating our own vision as a family of schools and as an individual school within the Exe Valley Federation.
Autumn Half term 1 - Value DIGNITY