Values and Ethos

Saint James’ is proud of its Catholic heritage and maintains a Catholic ethos throughout for the following aims:

• To teach the Catholic faith, encourage the child’s response to the faith and make prayer, worship and liturgy life enriching experiences
• To create a happy, caring and stimulating environment in which all members of the school community can give of their best and reach their full potential
• To provide a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum which will contribute successfully to the development of the ‘whole child’
• To foster a dynamic relationship between home, school and parish and build links with the wider community.

To achieve these aims, the school will:

• Promote and develop an appreciation of and more active participation in prayer, worship and liturgy
• Implement appropriate programmes of study and methods of assessment
• Foster positive relationships built on trust and openness
• Encourage co-operation and team work
• Build effective communication systems
• Develop child centred methods of teaching and learning
• Encourage care for and concern about the environment
• Organise effective structures for pastoral care
• Value and develop the gifts of each member of the community irrespective of their achievements
• Secure equality of entitlement in terms of special needs, gender and ethnicity
• Strive to be an example of a Christian community.