Our Ethos Group

Ethos Group

What is an Ethos Group?

•  The group is comprised of up to 15 key Stage 2 children who have expressed a commitment to become involved in the core Christian values of the school.
•  It supports the school in developing its Christian values and distinctiveness.
•  It reports to the Senior Leadership Team and governors on what it has discussed.

What does it do?

• The group meets weekly to discuss aspects of the school’s commitment to its Christian ethos and values.
• It asks pupils their opinion about the schools values and worship.
• It takes an active role in collective worship, planning and leading Collective Worship in each class every half term as well as a whole school Worship in the Summer term.
• It tries hard to develop the spirituality within school by celebrating examples of Christian Values in action throughout the school.  

Christian Values

After careful consideration of our School Vision, seven values were established that emcompassed our vision. 

Here are the 6 values and a definition of what they mean.

Thankfulness  - Thankfulness is expressing gratitude and appreciation for everything we have and receive.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Colossians 3:15 - Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Trust – Trust is a firm belief in anything.

 Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Through our faith we trust in the Lord and have the confidence to serve.

Growth -  Growth is coming into being; to grow naturally and spiritually.

James 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Love – Love is a strong feeling of affection. It is a deep affection, fondness, tenderness, warmth, intimacy, attachment, or endearment.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

As a church school we seek always to show the love of God to all and our Collective Worship are times filled with love and joy that everyone can experience, whether they share our faith or not.

Shine  - To be bright and glow in your service and achievements.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Through following our Christian values, we celebrate the children as they shine in their actions, words and deeds.

Faith - Living by faith means every day, no matter what, having a quiet confidence that God is good.

Psalm 119:68 You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.

Wisdom – The quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgment; quality of being wise.

James 3:13 Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that come from wisdom.

School Prayer

Over the Summer term 2022-23, the Ethos group created and launched the new school prayer. Mrs Mackenzie was thrilled with how the children had encompassed our Christian Values and was excited for the group to share it during Collective Worship.

Ethos Group - Vision Ambassadors Conference 2024

Two members of our Ethos group collaborated with schools from across the Chester Dicocese at the annual Ethos Group conference. This year's focus was on how to be effective ambassadors of the school vision. The children were intrigued to learn about other schools' visions and how, like ourselves, each school's unique identity was rooted in their  history.   Following the conference, they returned to school with some great ideas and have been busily planning their first class worship for Acorns, all about how our own unique school vision came to be.

News 

The Ethos Group have been very busy over the past weeks continuing to develop the prayer shed in the school grounds, inviting each class throughout the week to participate in prayer activities linked to our current Christian Value and more recently Easter.  As ambassadors of the the school vision, the Ethos Group have also been delivering Collective Worship to our younger children, retelling the Whitegate Story by reenacting how Lord Edward put his trust in God and learning that without his dedication to God, Whitegate School would not be in existence today. 

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