Ethos and Values

"This school is about happiness and success - in that order"  

Ofsted Outstanding 2019

Founding Vision

“For the good education and bringing up of youth in the love, fear and knowledge of God and His most Holy word, in good nature towards the world and their parents and finally in letters and understanding of the tongues in which is hidden and laid up the treasure of all divine and human knowledge”.

Carrington, R.C. Two Schools, London: McCorquodale Printers Ltd, 1971.

St. Olave’s and St. Saviour’s Grammar School is a Church of England school, which welcomes students of all faiths and none. We have a small school ethos where staff know the students well and address their individual needs, and where there is a sense of pride and loyalty. This enables everyone to flourish together in our multi-cultural community. Important traditions that date back over 450 years provide a framework of distinctive Christian values which reinforce our work and academic spirit. These values include encouraging understanding, respect and dignity for all as well as ensuring that our students are determined, honest and responsible so that they play a full and positive role in society.

Excellence is celebrated and encouraged. Though there is an emphasis on academic rigour, the school embraces and supports a wide range of activities outside the classroom. This is underpinned by a strong set of values based on trust, dignity and respect.

Integrity and high expectations permeate every aspect of school life and are evident in the behaviour, attitude and appearance of our students. In this ever-changing world, we believe that the wellbeing, confidence and happiness of our community are crucial. We will open up horizons of joy and aspiration and encourage each student to realise the best version of themselves - academically, morally, spiritually and physically.  Our students should not be preoccupied by the fear of failure and have the resilience to cope wisely with adversity.

When Olavians leave us, we hope that they will have developed into confident, independent young adults with intellectual curiosity and imagination, as well as having achieved an outstanding academic record. We will cultivate wisdom, emotional intelligence, and a sense of duty that students practise towards themselves, others, the School, the wider community and the environment. We want our students to be good citizens.

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”

2 Peter 1:5-7, New International Version

St. Olave’s is a Church of England school and a multi-faith community. Our Christian values are deeply embedded in the daily life of the school.

Duty to oneself

Matthew 25: 14 to 30 The Parable of the Talents

The belief that we should make the most of the abilities and opportunities which we have been given.

We should:

• work hard and take responsibility for our learning, our well-being and our personal development;
• understand that it is wrong to waste what we have been given and strive to make the most of our talents and the opportunities on offer.

Duty to others

Matthew 7: 7 to 12 “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

The message that we should act towards others as we would wish them to act towards us.

We should:

•    be tolerant and respect the views and opinions of others;
•    be able to distinguish right from wrong and abide by the law;
•    show consideration and compassion in our dealings with each other.

Duty to the School

Luke 13: 20 to 21 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

The idea that great things can grow from small beginnings and that the influence of an individual can have a profound and positive effect on the wider community. That is, everyone should seek to make a meaningful contribution to the life of the school and its community.

We should:

•    participate actively in our learning and contribute to the co-curriculum;
•    recognise our responsibilities to each other and our environment;
•    support the academic and personal development of our friends and colleagues.

Duty to the Community

Matthew 25: 31 to 46 “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

We are committed to making a significant contribution to the common good of the local community in which we are set and of the wider world through our learning and actions.

We should:

• be well-informed of the needs of our country and of the world;
• support and participate in programmes which seek to address those needs, locally and more widely.

Duty to God

Micah 6:8 “What does the Lord require of you? To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Our individual and corporate aim to act in accordance with God’s requirements of us.

We should:

• always pursue fairness and justice for all;
• act with forgiveness and mercy towards each other;
• do everything in humility, recognising God’s gifts and abilities in us and using them for the benefit and flourishing of all.

School Prayer

All the duties identified above, are included in the School Prayer, which is found at the back of the School hymn book and below.

Eternal God,
Help us through our duty to you
To love our neighbour,
To care for others,
To do our best for and in school,
To work for the common good of our community,
And to care for ourselves as we serve you.
AMEN