Uffington Church of England Primary School
Preparing for the future; living life in all its fullness
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Thankfulness
Christians are taught that we should be thankful for all we have. This covers the good times and the bad. We know that there are difficult times, and we are asked to persevere to be resilient in knowing we are loved. St Paul prays, giving thanks for all in his care, that they are shown the right path forward. (Ephesians 1:15-18) At Uffington, we take time to give thanks every day. We are thankful for our school and everything it offers, and for the people who make up our school family. We learn how to be resilient when faced with challenge and give thanks for all those who help us in difficult times.
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Kindness
Here we see how doing things for others is essential. The reasons for helping others are based on building up everyone by sharing what we have. We might share time, things and love. We see how individuals act in unselfish ways to benefit others. Queen Ester and Mary did many things that didn't benefit themselves. In the Psalms, we see how this is the same for God as it is for us. We are all asked to be Kind. (Esther, St Luke & Psalm145:8) At Uffington, we believe that kindness is the greatest gift we can offer others. We understand how our acts of kindness make a difference to the lives of others at home, at school, in our community, and in the wider world; we try to remember to be kind at all times.
"Being kind to people makes me happy."
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Forgiveness
Forgiveness is at the root of Christianity. Sorry, can be a hard word to say. It is also one that really lacks meaning if said too quickly. We are asked to change by accepting what we have done wrong, the hurt it may have caused and how we will make things right. When forgiven, we move on as better people. Jesus repeatedly says that we should freely forgive those things that people are genuinely sorry for. (St Matthew 18: 22) At Uffington, we understand that things can go wrong; we make poor choices and this can hurt others. We always take time to think about what has gone wrong and how to make amends. We forgive others when they are sorry and seek our forgiveness.
"Forgiveness is when someone does something wrong. They say sorry, and you say, “That’s OK”."
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Fairness
In a world that isn't fair, we need to work to change what we can. We need to take a stand to make the lives of others better. It is about putting the needs of others above our own, even if we have a right to more ourselves. St Paul talks about how the needs of others, ourselves and the world are bound together. (2 Corinthians 8:13,14) At Uffington, we know that there are those in this world who do not have the same opportunities as us; we support charities and learn about injustice so that we can make a difference.
"To me, fairness means that everyone is included and everyone feels equal."
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Friendship
Sharing joy and sorrows with others is essential. True friendship allows each person to grow and individuals to be recognised. This reflects how God values us and how we are called to live in a relationship with each other and God. In Proverbs, we hear about the benefits of friendship (Proverbs 17:9 and 18:24) At Uffington, we value our friends, taking care of them and enjoying things together. We are friendly towards each other and make visitors welcome.
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Trust
Trust is fundamental to living in harmony. We need to trust ourselves, others and people in positions of responsibility. Trust is sometimes required before we understand and comprehend. Jesus' life was full of examples of trust. He asked others to continue his work by trusting that he wanted the best for each of us. (St John14:1 & The Book of Acts) At Uffington, we trust one another to do the right thing, to be honest and to be respectful so that our school is a happy place where everyone can flourish.
"I trust my teachers because they are very nice. I trust them to help me learn and make good choices."
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Hope
Hope has a deeper meaning than the trivial desire for personal wants. Hope may lift us out of the most challenging situation and help us to fulfil our potential. Hope is a gift of God (by his Spirit) and offers the anchor needed to respond with resilience. (1 Corinthians 13:13) At Uffington, we believe that even when things are difficult, better times lie ahead. We believe in the potential of others and support them to achieve their goals.
"I will show hope by believing in myself, showing effort, persevering and looking forward to everything!"
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Inclusion
Division and exclusion are often seen at the expense of inclusion. The Christian faith asks us to include everyone. Everyone can decide what they believe and how they include others and themselves. Including people of all faiths and none is essential. Confidence in our faith shouldn't be a barrier to belonging. St Paul says, "How much more will their full inclusion mean?” (Romans 11:12) At Uffington, we make sure that everyone gets a chance to take part; we understand that some people may need some support to access some activities and provide that support to enable everyone to fulfil their potential.
"Include other people. It doesn’t matter if somebody is different."
