Our School Ethos and Values
Our Termly Gospel Values:
At Holy Family, we all have an important role in fulfilling the mission of the church. Our six core Gospel Values, chosen by all pupils and adults in the Holy Family ‘family’, underpin our attitudes and beliefs and guide our behaviour.
Term 1 – Love
Term 2 – Humility
Term 3 – Respect
Term 4 – Forgiveness
Term 5 – Peace
Term 6 – Honesty & Justice
These values are shared consistently and reinforced through our teaching. Many of them can be described as human values, inclusive of people with different or diverse faiths, as well as those with no faith. As a Catholic school, however, our values are rooted in the Bible and we strive to live our lives by following the words of God.
Pupils who demonstrate and embody our values in their words and actions will be rewarded with a ‘Light of the Week’ certificate during our weekly Celebration Act of Worship. This recognition highlights the importance of each individual’s behaviour and the positive impact they have throughout the school.
As learning is a lifelong journey, we know that our Gospel Values will guide us every step of the way.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35
Our School Parable - The Good Samaritan:
Through the parable of “The Good Samaritan” (Luke:10 - 25-37), Jesus demonstrates to us the foundation of what it means to live a Christian life. Following this teaching, at Holy Family we keep the spirit of the Good Samaritan message alive in our daily lives and put into practice the key lessons it represents:
- Loving your neighbour as yourself means loving ‘everyone’
- Helping the person who needs help is helping Christ
- The only thing that matters is what you do
- Do not be ‘labelled’ or ‘label’ others
- Don’t search for a reward, do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do
I imagine that the first question the priest and Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But by the very nature of his concern, the Good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him? Martin Luther King Jr
The story of the Good Samaritan is as relevant today as it was more than 2,000 years ago. Jesus teaches us to help those in need, even if the person doesn’t look like us, speak our language or share our faith.
At Holy Family, this parable inspires our vision and values. It reminds us to show compassion, kindness and charity to others, and also to recognise that at times we may need help ourselves, through no fault of our own.
We want our school community to live by Jesus’ words: “What would Jesus do?” Following this example can be challenging, but at Holy Family we strive to live out these Gospel values every day.
And if it ever feels impossible, we remember that with God, all things are possible!
Love Jesus, love learning, love each other.