Christian Distinctiveness

School Policies: Files

Emmanuel Holcombe Church of England Primary School is a welcoming and inclusive Christian community where we seek to grow together in love and learning, through faith, family and friendship.

Our Christian vision is:

“To grow together in love and learning, through faith, family and friendship.”

Inspired by the words of Ephesians 5:2, “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ,”

Our vision shapes everything we do. We want every child to flourish academically, personally, socially and spiritually, developing the knowledge, confidence, character and faith to live life to the full.

As a Church of England school within the Diocese of Manchester, our Christian foundation is at the heart of our school community. We believe that every child is unique, precious and valued, and we strive to create an environment where everyone feels known, loved, respected and able to flourish.

Our vision is lived out through our relationships with children, families, staff, our church and the wider community. Faith, family and friendship are central to our sense of belonging and help us to create a school where we learn from one another, support one another and celebrate together.

Educating for Life in All Its Fullness

The Church of England's vision for education, with Jesus' promise of “life in all its fullness” at its heart, strongly complements our own vision at Emmanuel Holcombe.

We seek to provide an education that develops the whole child and enables every child to flourish. This means educating for:

Wisdom, knowledge and skills – developing curiosity, a love of learning and the knowledge and skills children need to succeed.
Hope and aspiration – encouraging children to believe in themselves, overcome challenges and look positively towards the future.
Community and living well together – building strong relationships and helping children understand their responsibility towards others.
Dignity and respect – recognising the unique worth of every individual and ensuring everyone is treated with kindness and respect.

Our Christian vision gives purpose to all that we do. Love and learning, faith, family and friendship are woven through our curriculum, worship, relationships and wider school life.

Prayer

Children pray regularly during the school day.

All children are invited to pray during Collective Worship, where we say a prayer related to our worship value and say our Emmanuel Holcombe School Prayer. Children are also invited to come to the front to say their own prayer.

Pupils also pray before lunch and at the end of the day.

Mirrors, Windows and Doors: Love in action

At Emmanuel Holcombe, our Christian character is lived out in the everyday experiences of our school community. Windows, Mirrors and Doors help us to think about how we learn, grow and live together.

Mirrors give us opportunities to reflect — on who we are, what we believe, how we treat others and how our faith and values shape the choices we make. We encourage our children to recognise their own gifts, strengths as children of God.

Windows help us to look beyond ourselves — to learn about the world, understand different people and perspectives, and appreciate the richness and diversity of God’s creation.

Doors invite us to step forward — to put our values into action, to show kindness and courage, to serve others, to make a difference and to embrace opportunities with hope and confidence.

Our school support a number of charities, many of which have been chosen by our children. For example, rather than parents and pupils buying staff a Christmas present, instead pupils are invited to donate to Ramsbottom Food Bank and Kids in Rossendale Christmas pyjama appeal. We have also supported specific charities who are special to members of our school family, such a Guide Dogs and Wear it Pink.

SIAMS

Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS), 2023 Framework.

As a Church of England primary school, we undergo a SIAMS inspection alongside our regular Ofsted evaluations. This inspection is a legal requirement under Section 48 of the Education Act 2005 to assess how well we function as a church school.

The SIAMS framework focuses on one central question: "How effective is the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to flourish?"

Unlike traditional inspections, SIAMS does not award a single letter or numerical grade. Instead, inspectors look deeply at the impact of our vision on daily school life, evaluating how we: