'As each one does their part, we grow in love.' Ephesians 4 v 16

This verse is central to our school and our vision; we consider our positive relationships, with Jesus as the ultimate role model, as one of the most important things in our school. We aim to love and care for each other. We belong. We all play an important part in the lessons and the playground. We are all treated with respect and thankfulness (two of our core values).We are stronger when we are together and we support each other in times of need. We have amazing role models in our teachers and support staff. We are immensely proud of each and every child who, when they recognise what part they can play, adds to the patchwork of individuals sewn together to make a very strong, bonded whole. 

The vision statement is a paraphrase from the passage in Chapter 4 of Ephesians where Paul (the author of Ephesians) is talking about the ‘unity of the body’ (meaning the believers). In verse 14-15, we are encouraged not to be babies nor like a ship tossed around in the waves influenced by every new teaching, but grow up every way into Christ who is the head.

Verse 16 says, ‘The whole body depends on Christ, and all the parts of the body are joined and held together. Each part does its own work to make the whole body grow and be strong in love.’ (New Century Version)

Hence the message is rooted in a passage from the Bible which encourages us all to be wise in following Jesus, recognising how key it is that we all have a part to play in our school but we are all dependent on each other, joined, held together and growing in love.

 Our vision and values are at the core of everything we do. They underpin our teaching and learning, and provide an environment which prepares our pupils as confident, happy citizens. Our school values are:

• Courage
• Honesty
• Respect
• Inspiration
• Stretching our learning
• Thankfulness

This spells out CHRIST, which, as one pupil involved in process for the creation of a new set of values in 2018 said, 'This shows we are a Christian school with Christ right at the centre.'

We have an active and supportive partnership with The Bridge Youth Project, a Salisbury based Christian educational charity and welcomed our first Chaplain, Georg Knights, as part of a pilot in September 2022. She is working alongside and in support of the head and the staff, supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and she contributes a Christian viewpoint to all of our RE lessons across the school.

We are proud of our rich village Christian heritage which was celebrated particularly on our 150th birthday in 2022 and remember that we have some pretty special influential characters who have travelled before us in the footsteps we now take:

In the 12^th century, a young Thomas a Becket was parish priest at Winterbourne Gunner before he became Archbishop of Canterbury. He used to walk over to Clarendon Palace to take services in the chapel of King Henry II. The route he took would have passed through our school grounds and over the River Bourne at the Laverstock junction now called St Thomas’ Bridge. Our village was named after Earl of Salisbury, William Longspee, who lived at the manor house. He was a son of Henry II, an accomplished military leader and served his brothers King Richard the Lionheart and King John. He was also one of the barons who had advised John to grant Magna Carta, a hugely significant pillar of our democracy, and in 1220 he placed a foundation stone in our cathedral.  These people who served their King and community went before us and paved the way.