Spirit of Bishop Aldhelm's
We are a dynamic and forward-thinking school, part of the Body of Christ within the Anglican Tradition. We are passionate about enabling everybody associated with our school to become confident, resourceful and resilient members of society, able to thrive within our local, national and global communities. We seek to encourage children to question and reflect upon the world around them, supported by our spiritual language: self, others, world and beyond.
Our Vision Statement captures precisely what it means to be a church school:
Loved by God; United in Learning
‘The Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need’ (Psalm 23)
Guidance, Wisdom and Support for Learning and Life in Jesus’ name. We are all valued here. We are all welcome here.
We are Bishop Aldhelm’s.
The Spirit of Bishop Aldhelm’s, which you will experience as you spend time in our school, is to ensure that everybody associated with our school:
Is loved;
- Known and valued for being a very special person.
- Following Jesus’ example of selfless love and service.
- Feels a sense of self-worth.
- Understands the reasons behind social norms/expectations but is not afraid to ‘be themselves’.
Is courageous;
- Knows God; Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, in their life and is secure in the knowledge that we are never alone in our lives in good or bad times.
- Has the self-belief of ‘I can’.
- Is given coping strategies for the path ahead will not always be smooth or easy.
- Is an active citizen who makes a valued and positive contribution.
- Recognises that, as members of the global village, we have responsibilities and appreciates why we have these responsibilities … understanding ‘why’ is vital if we hope to make a difference.
Is united with others;
- Respects others and develops empathy.
- Is open-minded.
- Takes pride in themselves, in their families, in their school and in the communities to which they belong – school, local, national and international.
- Experiences fun and laughter yet appreciates that there are times when this is not appropriate.
Is inspired and inspires others;
- Drawing inspiration from Jesus’s life and lessons from the bible.
- Fully respects and seeks to learn more about the spectrum of faiths, cultures, creeds and ways of life which are celebrated in this country and throughout the world.
- Values learning and is prepared to learn as they journey through life.
- Gains skills to help them cope with life … above all the skills of adaptability and positively embracing change.
- Is empowered to make informed choices.
- Experiences opportunities for developing life skills and fostering a creative, innovative mind.
Members of the Bishop Aldhelm’s team hold children’s hands for a moment but hold their hearts and help shape their lives ... for a lifetime.
The statements within our Spirit are all equally valued and important.
SIAMS
Our most recent SIAMS inspection took place in November 2023. You can read our report here:
St Aldhelm’s Church:
Bishop Aldhelm’s C.E. Primary School enjoys very close links with the parish church of St. Aldhelm’s, Branksome. We attend the church for worship on occasions throughout the year.
Our children are familiar with the history of St. Aldhelm and our Year 6 children enjoy a pilgrimage to St. Aldhelm’s Head on the Purbeck coastline before leaving for secondary school.
Mother Robyn is the curate at St. Aldhelm’s Church. She, along with other visitors, regularly leads worship. Daily worship is celebrated in all year groups. Children are welcome at all the main church services. There is a ‘children’s area’ with books and quiet toys available.
Parents do have the right to withdraw their children from school-based worship by informing the Head Teacher in writing.
The church also welcomes any enquiries regarding baptism (aka ‘Christening’). We will also be pleased to receive any requests for prayer and pastoral support for children and families associated with the school.
The website for the parish church of St. Aldhelm’s Branksome is www.st-aldhelm.com. The church also produces a monthly parish magazine to which the school contributes a double page spread to share our recent activities with the wider community; copies are available either from the church or school office.