St Mary's and St John's C of E School

Welcome to St Mary’s and St John’s Church of England school. Our distinct Christian vision is inspired by a firm belief that “….. with God all things are possible”. This foundational bible passage encourages every member of our diverse and close-knit community to aim for the best and excel in all aspects of life. A commitment to the guiding principles of Wisdom, Service and Hope inspires us all to aim for academic excellence with an emphasis on wellbeing and a love of learning.

We do all we can to motivate our pupils to be ambitious about what they can accomplish in life. Our distinctive ethos encourages them to reach their full potential and develop their individual talents so they are equipped to contribute positively to the wider community.

Being an all-through school creates many opportunities for our students, parents, and staff.  Our schools share an educational philosophy which fosters high expectations and consistent pastoral care.  Our primary children have access to the specialist teachers, resources, and facilities in our secondary phase, and in turn, our secondary pupils benefit from the opportunities to develop mentoring and leadership skills through supporting our younger children. The collaboration between primary and secondary staff creates a curriculum continuum which benefits all students as they progress through the school.

Our Vision
Our Christian vision is drawn from Matthew’s gospel which proclaims the Kingdom of God. Jesus teaches his disciples about choice, commitment and Christian hope for transformational change. His wisdom guides us to acknowledge that wealth is not material but that true wealth is gained from working collaboratively for the common good.

A fundamental component of our lives at SMSJ is a confident reassurance that all things are possible.  We believe that healing, repair, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation are always possible. We embrace innovation and transformation with the conviction that with Christ, every day, every task, every situation, every relationship brims with divine possibility. God is always at work in our lives.

We trust in the loving purposes of God: trusting that the foundations of the world are good because they spring from God. Our hope is rooted in the love and faithfulness of God. We strive to equip our students with an awareness of the true value of things together with an understanding of the consequences of our thoughts, words and actions.  Christ’s sacrificial life and his teaching about love and humility may appear foolish by the world’s standards but, in reality, it expresses the Wisdom of God.

SMSJ exists to enhance the future life chances and opportunities of our students, whatever their faith or starting point, by providing a centre of educational excellence at the heart of our community. Through hard work, resilience, perseverance and a commitment to our learning, we will create a hope-filled future. Our children will be equipped with the ambition, qualities, qualifications and values necessary to meet the challenges of an    ever-changing world, knowing that ‘…with God, all things are possible’.