Aims, Christian Vision, Values and Ethos

Our School's Christian Vision, Motto and Core Christian Values were developed with the help of the pupils, parents, staff and governors of the school.  We believe that with our 'school family' deciding what they should be, they are more personal and mean more to us and you can see them being lived out by all the members of our school family.

‘Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.’ Psalm 100:3

Our Christian Vision

In our school, we belong to each other and to God. We all feel welcome, valued and accepted for who we are.

We believe in ourselves and each other as we grow in confidence and skills every day.

We are all special in our own way, using the gifts that God has given us. We are blossoming into the kind, respectful, hardworking and trustworthy people that God wants us to be.

Our School Motto

Belong, Believe, Blossom

Our School's Core Christian Values

Friendship

The opportunity to love and learn about yourself, to mature as a human being, to open up to the full experiences life has to offer. To fulfil a sense of wellbeing and have the ability to break down barriers.

Honesty

One who is honest says only what is the truth and does only what is right, as Jesus taught us to do.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness that is genuine and from the heart, received as well as given, brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life.

Generosity

There is no time when we are more like God than when we give to others and shift the focus from ourselves.

Trust

The value that defines our relationship with others.

Respect

We accept people for who they are, even when they are different to us or we don't agree with them. Having respect builds feelings of trust, safety and wellbeing.

What is SMSC?

SMSC stands for Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development.

All schools in England must show how well their pupils develop in SMSC.

How did SMSC originate?

SMSC development results from the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child - Articles 1-42 state the rights of every child and Articles 43-54 state how adults and governments should work together to ensure all children get their rights. The UK ratified Convention on the Rights of the Child on 16th December 1991 show where all adults have the responsibility to secure the rights of the child.

Defining Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development

At Bolton-by-Bowland, children have opportunities to develop spiritually by:

• exploring and developing personal values and beliefs
• exploring the values and beliefs of others
• reflecting on their work and performance
• learning about respect
• developing empathy by understanding feelings and emotions
• appreciating things like beauty, truth and goodness
• using imagination and creativity in learning

At Bolton-by-Bowland, children have opportunites to develop morally by:

• recognising the difference between right and wrong
• applying this understanding in their own lives and in doing so, respecting the civil and criminal law of England
• considering the range of accepted values in society
• developing skills such as decision making and consideration of others
• engaging with moral philosophy and skills of analysis
• understanding the consequences of their actions
• exploring moral and ethical issues

At Bolton-by-Bowland, children have opportunities to develop socially by:

• working in teams or groups co-operatively
• taking part in group and school experiences such as assemblies, residential experiences and school productions
• taking on roles of responsibility 
• understanding how groups, communities and societies function at a variety of levels
• developing social skills
• showing respect

At Bolton-by-Bowland, children have opportunities to develop culturally  by:

• exploring and understanding their own culture
• exploring and understanding different cultures to prepare them for life in modern Britain
• developing a knowledge of Britain's democratic parliamentary system (past, present and future)
• participating in artistic, musical and sporting activities