"A school family with a Christian ethos, where we help each other to flourish"

St Sebastian’s School and Nursery has a strong sense of family, where all who come can belong, feel safe and experience God’s love regardless of their background.

The apostle Paul describes God’s family as being made up of those who know the love of Jesus and whose lives are marked by that love (Ephesians 3:14-19). 

We believe that our school values of Friendship, Honesty, Forgiveness, Trust, Compassion and Thankfulness reflect the love of Jesus and provide a caring framework upon which we can all grow. 

Jesus shows us all in his teachings in the Bible how we can demonstrate these values. The parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 demonstrates God’s love and how we can learn to care for those in need.  It also shows respect that we can all give and receive in our School.  It illustrates how we should show God’s love to those around us every day.

In our School, every child belongs to a family group and every school year is represented in each group.  In each half-term the children will focus on one value and explore and share their ideas with the whole school, in Collective Worship and throughout the school day.

This is what our children think of family and our School.

“Both my family and my school care for me.”

“I trust the School like my family because my family look after me when I am at home and my friends and teachers look after me at School.”

“Families are a safe place and in our small School you feel safe because you know everyone”

“Our School is like a family.  The School is supportive and if you can’t do something or you need someone to listen to you, the teachers will help you.”

The children are encouraged to participate and take responsibility in School.  In 1 Timothy 4:12 it says ‘Do not let anyone treat you as if you are unimportant because you are young.  Instead, be an example to others with your words, your actions, your love and your faith, and your pure life.’

By allowing our children to feel safe, supported and loved by God, this gives them the space to learn and be inspired to excel.  We are a place where children's similarities and differences are celebrated, as are their achievements.

The ethos of school influences the whole school community, the children, the staff and also the parents, and this allows patterns of behaviour to be established. We, feel that by working in partnership and being open with each other, we can establish a rapport and an atmosphere of mutual support, which allows the children, their families and others, to feel secure. Our ethos is based on a Christian moral framework which encompasses the values of thankfulness, forgiveness, trust, friendship, compassion and honesty. 

The values of the school are specifically taught to the children: in worship, in class and at other times, as well as being the basis on which the school community exists.

We provide a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels happy, safe and secure. We promote an atmosphere of truth and honesty in which everyone feels valued and shows respect for each other and their surroundings. As a team, we are committed to high expectations and continuous improvement. We adopt a child-centred approach to high quality teaching and learning, inspiring everyone to achieve their full potential.