Our Christian values are:

Love; Trust; Honesty & Truthfulness; Respect; Friendship and Perseverance.

'The values of trust, love, honesty and truthfulness, respect, friendship and perseverance are embodied in all pupils do and say.'  

Ofsted 2024

What our parents say:

"St. James is a family. All children are valued, included and celebrated. You can feel the Christian ethos running though all they do. The children and parents have had the opportunity to participate in collective worship in school and in the local church. The children are able to take part in the local community such as the Remembrance Day service and visiting the ‘places of welcome’ at Christ Church."

British Values

Promoting British Values at St James

The DfE have recently reinforced the need "to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to 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."

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated by the Prime Minister this year. At St James these values, alongside our Christian Values, are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

• Democracy:

Democracy is rife within the school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our Pupil Council and Pupil questionnaires. Our school behaviour policy involves a strong sense of choice in actions and subsequent consequences of these choices.

• The Rule of Law:

The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police; Fire Service; etc. are regular parts of our curriculum & calendar and help reinforce this message.

• Individual Liberty:

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safety, through
of provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of challenge, of how they record, of participation in our  extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.

• Mutual Respect:

Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around the value of 'Respect', and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. Posters around the school promote respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning rules, as well as our behaviour policy.

• Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:

As a Christian school we have a responsibility to promote a Christian ethos in a context of individual choice, respect and tolerance of other faiths and other beliefs.  This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.