About the School

Our Vision 'Let Our Light Shine'

Our School Vision in inspired by the book of St Matthew which shares the time when Jesus preached  his Sermon on the Mount, blessing the crowd of people, comparing them to light, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill that cannot be hid.” We focus on Verse 15: “Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and come to glorify your father in heaven.”

Our Vision is at the heart of our decision making and is expressed further through our half-termly work on the following Values:

Wisdom; Compassion; Humility; Forgiveness; Endurance; Koinonia (Community)

So what does this mean for the children at St John’s?

When our children talk about letting their light shine, they look to our school values and reflect on what they can do to be shining lights in the world.  This might be through the value of Endurance – never giving up, having a growth mindset, and believing that through perseverance, there is nothing they can not achieve. It might be that they are shining through the value of Koinonia (community) through the support they give to the local homeless shelter by setting up beds for homeless people so people in their locality have a safe, comfortable place to stay. Perhaps our children may choose to shine through the Value of Compassion, caring for the children in their school. If someone feels upset, they may comfort them. If someone has tripped over, they will support them. We believe that by living these values, our community will make a difference to the world we live in.

Church schools have a proud tradition of serving multicultural communities. St John’s is in a vibrant and diverse part of London and as a Church school we are founded on the belief that all children deserve a high quality of education. Whilst we promote the Christian faith and welcome those of the faith, we respect and welcome pupils of other faiths and those of none.

If you would like to learn more about our school, please do not hesitate to book an appointment so one of our team can show you around.

Click Here to See Our Mission Statement

 

Our Distinctiveness as a Church School

As a church school, we have close links with the Rectors of St John’s on Bethnal Green and St Barnabas who lead our clergy assemblies. Collective Worship forms part of our daily routine, as are termly visits to the church. Our school community is culturally diverse and the ethos is one where religions, beliefs and cultures are respected and celebrated. We aim to provide a safe, secure, stimulating and happy learning environment through a Christian ethos where children feel valued and respected. We aim to be wholly inclusive of other faiths, and this is reflected in our diverse pupil intake, multicultural and school family events throughout the year.

 

Our History

St John’s school is a one-form entry Church of England Primary School. We are located in Bethnal Green in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. We have 26 places in nursery and currently have 158 pupils on roll aged from 3 – 11 years. Many of the pupils in St John's live in the immediate locality of Bethnal Green, with others coming further afield from the neighbouring boroughs of Hackney and Newham. Our pupils come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and a total of twenty-one cultures are celebrated amongst our families. Pupils are indeed happy here, and we are committed to providing an environment where children can develop their skills and talents in a variety of ways. We want our pupils to feel confident and joint partners on the learning journey, as they become successful learners and develop to their fullest potential.

St John’s is 175 years old, and one of the oldest schools in the borough of Tower Hamlets. Originally built in 1841, and accommodating up to 670 children, the school’s original charter stated an intention to offer the poorest children of the area a ‘good, sound education’. Today, the Victorian building still has many structural clues which give an insight into how the building was used many years ago but you’ll have to look closely! Over the past ten years, the school has undertaken some extensive refurbishment, particularly to the Year 1 class, Administration and Main Reception Area and the development of a new ICT Suite and Library, all of which have enhanced the usage of our school space. In September 2012, we opened our new building for our pupils in Nursery and Reception which was built on a section of our large playground. This space helps provide the very best start for the youngest entrants to our school.