Christian Distinctiveness

We are God’s family – learning together, loving together and growing together – striving to be the best we can be for ourselves, for God and for others.

At Sutton-at-Hone, our values are, Community, Love, Service, Forgiveness, Perseverance and Thankfulness, these values are promoted across the school by all adults. Each term a value is shared with the school through Collective Worship and in class. Our school’s values are deeply embedded in the daily life of the school and all members of our school identify how they affect our daily lives and our achievements, including being demonstrated through our words and actions.

We are an inclusive school, where everyone has a valuable contribution to make to our school community. Our foundation in Christian belief and practice helps us to embrace not only the spiritual, but also the physical, intellectual, emotional, moral and social development, of our children. Our vision is rooted in a desire to enable children at Sutton-at-Hone to be the best they can be, ‘for themselves, for God and for others’, living life in all its fullness (John 10:10)

Our curriculum is designed to provide all our children with the core knowledge and experiences that enable them to flourish.Our strong Christian vision and six associated values underpin all aspects of school life; what we do, who we are and how we live.In our daily lives, this is lived out through our love and care for others, respectful behaviour and empathetic attitudes. These values act as a set of moral standards we should understand and try to live out. They align with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

‘An exploration of how this vision is lived out through the school’s values is a powerful part of worship. Values such as community, love, service, forgiveness, perseverance and thankfulness are explored for all pupils to access and understand. ’ SIAMS inspection, September 2023

Collective Worship

The vicar of Sutton-at-Hone, Rev. Emma Young feels privileged to be involved in the life of Sutton-at-Hone. “This is a place where both children and staff are engaged with life’s big questions, are able to respond with brilliant insights and wise ideas, and regularly offer inspiring acts of worship.”

The church and school communities remind each other they are part of something bigger than themselves. They have so much to offer one another and working together helps both communities to thrive.

This school is a place where every individual is valued. This is at the heart of the Christian faith and central to what the church community at St John’s tries to live out. We don’t always get this right, but it’s always the truth we try to live up to.

Rev. Emma Young is available as a port of call to anyone in the local community with spiritual or pastoral needs: you don’t have to describe yourself as a Christian or be a church-goer to get in touch. Contact details can be found through the church website – www.darentvalleybenefice.org.uk – and our church services are events to which all are welcome, regardless of age, background or circumstance.