Vision, Values and Ethos
The importance of values within school organisations
A vision gives a sense of direction; the compass by which we navigate the school. The values of a school are what are used when you can’t see out of the ship. It is what you use when there is uncertainty in decision-making.
We are a disparate organisation. Individuals in this organisation have high levels of discretion. Therefore, values help us act in a similar way. It is the glue which binds the school together.
In Strengthening the Heartbeat Sergiovanni describes how to make vision and values useful. He argues that for values to be effective, more than "mother and apple pie" statements, they require commitment and a signing up to them. In the best schools they draw up a charter of commitment – a statement of things they will commit to. In September 2023, the staff agreed to uphold the following values:
Further to this, the governing body, as part of its function for providing strategic leadership, sets a 10- year plan for what it wants the school to achieve. This is detailed in the document below.