The Mease Family is a union of two, small, rural Primary schools in villages that lie on the River Mease. Mary Howard CE Primary School and St. Andrew’s CE Primary School are both church schools that share the aim for everyone, including adults and children, to 'grow and flourish'.
Our Vision:
The parable of the mustard seed (Matthew 13: 31-32) inspires us that even from very small beginnings, something amazing can grow. At St Andrews, we are aspirational for the future of all our pupils and adults, in that they will learn how to 'grow and flourish' as healthy and fulfilled individuals who are passionate about life and learning.
Each of us is a unique individual and, like the mustard seed, we all have the potential to grow and to flourish. At St Andrews, every member of our school community is valued and cherished; both as an individual and for the contribution they make to the schools and the wider communities. The mustard seed starts by growing strong, deep roots. With the perfect conditions it grows, becomes strong and attracts birds to rest among its branches. Like the tree that the seed in the parable becomes, we aspire for our federation to be a place where everyone feels at home; for us all to become the people that God calls us to be. Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed could achieve great things, even move a mountain. Big things can come from small beginnings; who knows what great things our children will go on to achieve in the future?
Our Motto:
St Andrew’s motto is ‘Grow and Flourish’. Our children and staff are nurtured and enabled to grow and flourish through teaching and care throughout the TSSMAT.
Our Values:
St Andrews has a strong commitment to Christian and human Values that underpin our decisions and drive the curriculum, teaching, collective worship and wider opportunities we provide. We are fully inclusive as we are here for ‘all faiths and none’ and our vision is to ensure that every child in our care experiences life in all its fullness, underpinned by Christian values and teachings.
Our core values work together in harmony to achieve our overarching value, koinonia. They are fundamental to the St Andrew's Way and support our vision.
Koinonia
Wisdom-Love-Perseverance
We promote and live out these values in our everyday lives and they are at the heart of our school community.
Koinonia
Through Christ, we all share fellowship with one another as one big family. Koinonia comes from the Greek word meaning community or fellowship that involves deep, close-knit participation among its people. This shows the special relationship we have with each other whereas in a community we look after each other, where we are welcomed and accepted, no matter who we are. Together we share our abundance, encourage, support and serve each other. Our school is built around a strong sense of community. We nurture a sense of belonging to our school, church, local and global community, of celebrating differences, of tolerance and of having a clear understanding of how to be a good person.
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully”. - Romans 12:6-8
Wisdom
The Bible talks of wisdom as a gift from God. We wish our children to develop their wisdom by increasing their knowledge in every area of learning. However, wisdom is not just about how clever someone is; it is about how we use our knowledge to make the right choices and decisions, being prepared to listen to the advice of others, thinking before we speak and choosing silence over words. Wisdom involves considering others, deliberating over the issues, reflecting on the long view and taking into account all possible consequences. Through our value of wisdom, we encourage everyone to make the right choices in life.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (NIV) - James 1:5
We recognise the value of wisdom in the Parable of the Sower where the plant sprouts fruitfully from the soil that is rich in the word of the gospel.
Love
We are a family. We promote and expect every member of our school community to act in a loving and caring manner towards others. Through our value of love, we inspire everyone to love themselves, love one another and love learning. At St Andrews, we learn to love and love to learn.
Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others - Philippians 2:4
The good Samaritan showed love when he helped someone who was hurt.
Perseverance
We encourage everyone in our school community to keep going and pursue their dreams even when faced with challenges, setbacks, and failures. Working towards our goals and overcoming obstacles, is celebrated by all. Through our value of perseverance, we empower everyone to navigate life's obstacles with resilience and determination.
We will reap the harvest if we do not give up - Galatians 6:9
Our greatest joy is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius
Jesus is the ultimate example of perseverance in the Bible. We can read his story, through the gospels, and follow his example and he shows us how to persist through adversity, pain, sorrow, mountaintops and valleys.
Our Mission:
At St Andrews we are a community of children, parents/guardians, staff, governors and neighbours who challenge and support each other to flourish. Our mission is to provide a safe space for our pupils to develop:
- A life-long love of learning
- Inquisitive, creative and critical thinking skills that they can use to solve problems.
- A willingness and ability to communicate with different audiences.
- Confidence and resilience in and out of school and their future workplace.
Our Intentions:
At St Andrews our intentions are to motivate, appropriately challenge and support all the pupils to experience enjoyment through academic, personal and social achievement. We enable this to happen by providing:
- High quality teaching
- A varied and relevant curriculum
- Collective Worship
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Uploaded by Downton Primary School on 2021-03-08.
