Our Christian Vision

As a school we take our Christian Foundation seriously, and strive to enable children to maximise their potential as they discover their God given talents and skills.  Our staff, children, parents and governing body worked together to determine our school vision in 2018.  

Our vision:

As God’s children we grow and learn together, encouraging everyone in our community to “let their light shine” (Matthew 5:16).  We strive to be the best we can be, knowing that “what we will be has not yet been revealed” (1 John 3:2).  Through love, trust, compassion, hope, forgiveness and perseverance, we flourish as one inclusive family.

Our values:

We have six school values, all of which are rooted in Scripture and which help us to live out this vision.

SIAMS - Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools

SIAMS is focused on exploring one central question: "How effective is the school's distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to flourish?"

This question is then explored through seven strands:

• Vision and Leadership
• Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills
• Character Development: Hope, Aspiration and Courageous Advocacy
• Community and Living Well Together
• Dignity and Respect
• Impact of Collective Worship
• Effectiveness of Religious Education

West Malling CE Primary School and The McGinty Speech and Language Centre was last inspected on 9th March 2022 where we achieved an overall grade of "Good". The inspector found that "the Christian vision is woven through school life so that the community actively embrace inclusion and flourishing. As a result, pupils express their thoughts and act with certainty."

Worship in our School

Collective Worship happens each day in our school and provides everyone within our school community the opportunity to pause and reflect on our thoughts, behaviours and day.  Worship is a time where we sing, talk, pray and give thanks for our school and each other.  It enhances our spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

RE

Religious Education (RE) is an important subject at West Malling Church of England Primary School. It forms part of the basic curriculum and is taught in accordance with the Kent Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education as required by law. Also in accordance with law the RE focus is mainly on Christianity, whilst taking account of the other principal religions in Great Britain. We use the Rochester Diocesan locally agreed RE syllabus and we use materials in the Understanding Christianity resource to support the lesson planning and delivery of the Christianity units within the curriculum.  

Spiritual Development

As a school we work hard to protect and enhance the special ethos of our school.  The inclusive, calm, positive, family feel is one which visitors to our school quickly notice.  Our Local Governing Body is charged by the Tenax Schools Trust to guard the ethos and a termly monitoring and evaluation meeting helps Governors be sure that this happens.

As a school we recognise that our Church of England foundation means that we are responsible for not just nurturing strong academic outcomes and helping children let their individual “lights shine” (Matthew 5:16), but also for helping them develop a sense of the meaning and purpose of life.  These are questions which everyone asks, independently of any religious affiliation.

Our school curriculum contributes to pupils’ spiritual development.  In subjects across the curriculum children are encouraged to be curious, to ask questions and are given the freedom to explore and discuss spiritual, ethical and moral issues.  As a professional staff body we make the most of questions that children ask spontaneously as these are frequently the starting point for exploring a sense of awe and wonder when confronted with new learning or insight.

At West Malling CE Primary and The McGinty Speech and Language Centre we have decided to help children access this dimension of learning through the symbols of windows, mirrors and doors. [1]

Windows are for looking out onto the world and becoming aware of its wonders, both the ‘wows’ and ‘ows’; things that are ‘awe-full’ and make us wonder and be grateful and things that are ‘awful’ and make us wonder and ask questions. The whole curriculum and life itself are full of opportunities to recognise this sensitively.  Windows allow us to experience something that is outside.

Mirrors are for looking into and reflecting, alone and together, to see things more clearly, for thinking and asking important questions, learning from our own and each other’s responses. In schools we must allow time for this for individual and group reflection and sharing of perspectives. Some subjects and times allow for this specifically, such as religious education and collective worship but in all subjects, there will be opportunities, unexpected or planned, when things just ‘crop up’. Handled sensitively, it is possible to make the most of all these times, if there is ongoing deliberate and corporate staff and pupil support.  Mirrors allow us to reflect and see more clearly.

Doors are for looking through in order to then act or express this in some way in response; for moving on, making choices, and doing something creative, active and purposeful in response. This can simply be done through a change in attitude or behaviour or thinking. It can also be expressed powerfully through music or art or drama or dance and through some form of social action or specific acts of giving.  Doors allow us an opportunity to walk through and make a change and grow.

We develop the capacity of our pupils to think spiritually through our school values.  Our values of love, trust, compassion, hope, forgiveness and perseverance are developed in Collective Worship and our classrooms so that during their time at West Malling, our pupils’ values and spirituality develop like a photograph can in a darkroom.  The image is already there, but gradually realised so that we can see what lies within.  As our vision statement recalls, using 1 John 3:2, “what we will be has not yet been revealed."

Saint Mary's CE Church

West Malling Church of England Primary School and The McGinty Speech and Language SRP is proud of strong links with the Parish Church of St. Mary's.  Revd David Green is a regular visitor to school, leading Collective Worship each Thursday and welcoming the whole School community of children and parents to St. Mary's at the end of each term.  Our children can sometimes be seen at the All Age services and also forming the Treble Makers singing group which are active parts of the St. Mary's community.