Church School
What does it mean that we are a ‘Church School’?
It’s not just that we see Religious Education as an important part of the curriculum and pay careful attention to this subject (though we do!). It’s that we see each child as unique, created by God and given a particular set of gifts and abilities. It is our task here, at St Mary's, to draw out from each pupil the full range of these gifts and abilities, whether they be in the academic, social or sporting areas of life. By doing this, we enable each child to achieve his or her full, God-given potential.
Like other schools, we guide children in their behaviour, encouraging them to be considerate, caring and thoughtful towards others. As a Church School community, we are conscious that the roots of these characteristics are in the Christian Faith and we are able to point this out to pupils and to build securely on this solid foundation.
You may also be interested in reading our Theological Rationale which further encapsulates what we believe in.
Below is the Theological rationale poster we display around school to remind children of the theological values of the school.
Church School Status
St Mary's is a Church of England Academy. This means that the school is owned by the Diocese of Sheffield Academy Trust. As a church school we have our own Admission Policy which differs from Local Authority schools.
As a Church of England school, we still follow the National Curriculum, but our Religious Education syllabus is largely Christian and we hold Christian themed assemblies. We do of course teach other religions & are proud of the positive attitudes & values that we promote. We welcome children from “Churches Together” as well as children whose families profess no faith.
Please click to download the Shared Commitment for church schools in the South Yorkshire Diocese:
For more information about the Diocese of Sheffield Academy Trust (DSAT) please click here.