At St Margaret’s C of E Academy, Part of the Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust, we welcome children, their parents and families into a warm, friendly and hardworking environment where our Christian Values are the heart of all we do.
We have a long history of excellence and commitment to the Christian vision. Our Outstanding SIAMS inspection in November 2015 stated that our Christian Values are ‘rooted in the very fabric of the school.’ We were rated as Good in our most recent Ofsted inspection of 2019 and in 2023, we were rated as Excellent in our SIAMS inspection which stated that, ‘St Margaret’s vision that all pupils should flourish and shine is the driving force for the strategic direction of the academy. Church school leadership at all levels is inspirational, guiding decision making and ensuring that policy is lived out in practice.’
We hope that our website provides a sense of our values, and the aspirations we have for the pupils in our care. Please explore further to learn more about our school or contact us to arrange a visit.
We look forward to meeting you.
Celebrating the uniqueness of every child of God, helping them to flourish and shine.
“God’s word is a lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path”
Inspired by Psalm 119:105
St Margaret’s is a church school committed to excellence. Being a Christian school drives every aspect of our school vision. Our Vision statement and values guide everything we do within our academy. Our last SIAMS inspection in November 2015 stated that the school values were ‘rooted in the fabric of the school.’ Our Christian distinctiveness is firmly rooted in the daily life of the school through our six key values.
Love
Love is a core Christian value at St Margaret’s. The English word “love” has many different meanings, but the Greek word, agape, used in the New Testament, is commonly known as “Christian love.” At St Margaret’s, love means respect, affection, good-will and selfless concern for the wellbeing of each other.
Wisdom
‘The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.’ Psalm 111:10
The Bible talks of wisdom as a gift from God. Wisdom is about being prepared to listen to the advice of others, thinking before you speak and choosing silence over words. At St Margaret’s wisdom involves considering others, deliberating over the issues, reflecting on the long view and taking into account all possible consequences.
Friendship
‘Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for friends’. At St Margaret’s we encourage children to make deep and satisfying friendships. We help children who are having problems with their friendships. We teach children that Jesus is our friend who likes us and enjoys being with us.
Perseverance
‘And when Jesus had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards He was hungry’. At St Margaret’s we encourage the children to keep going even when things are tough. We ensure that the work we give children is challenging enough that all children have opportunities to develop persistence –we want all children to experience success…..but also to appreciate that sometimes success involves struggle. We tell the children that God’s love for them endures for ever…whatever they do.
Respect
The Bible teaches us to show the core Christian value of Respect to God, our neighbours and the World around us. As we are made in God’s image, by showing respect and consideration to those around us, we are, in turn, honouring God himself. At St Margaret’s, this means showing care and consideration for ourselves, the pupils in our school and to the adults, parents and wider community who support us in our learning. This way, we can grow together in God’s love, show dignity and understanding to those around us and celebrate the value of each and every individual.
Courage
With God’s protection and guidance we are able to conquer fears and live a life full of courage. It is God that commands us to have courage, for having courage means having faith and confidence in Him. At St Margaret’s we encourage the children to have courage no matter what obstacles they may face. We teach them that Christian courage is the willingness to say and do the right thing even though this may be difficult.
