Sneinton St. Stephen’s is proud to be a Church of England school at the heart of a rich and diverse community.

Our Christian foundation shapes who we are, what we value and what we hope for every child. It calls us to create a community where everyone is welcomed, treated with dignity and given the opportunity to flourish.

We are a school for our whole community. Children and families of all faiths and none are welcomed, valued and belong fully at Sneinton St. Stephen’s.

A Vision for All
The Church of England’s Vision for Education is “Deeply Christian, serving the common good”, with Jesus’s promise of “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10) at its heart.

Our own mission, vision and values are theologically rooted and express what our Christian foundation means for life at Sneinton St. Stephen’s.

Our mission, Together, We Can Achieve, is rooted in the call to “be kind to one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). It reflects our belief in community: that we encourage one another, seek what is good for all and help each other to flourish.

Our vision draws on Jesus’s promise of “life in all its fullness” and the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd — loving, guiding and protecting others while enabling and empowering them to move forward. For us, this means creating a place of belonging and safety while equipping children with the knowledge, wisdom, hope and aspiration to step confidently into the world.

Our values of Love, Joy, Unity and Hope draw on Christian teaching and shape how we learn, how we treat one another and the community we create together.

A School for All
Our Christian foundation calls us to recognise the dignity and worth of every person and to serve the whole community. The example of Jesus calls us to notice and value each person and to pay particular attention to those whose voices might otherwise go unheard.

Children are never expected to hold a particular faith. We want every child to feel that they belong and to have opportunities to explore questions of faith, belief, meaning and spirituality with curiosity and respect.

“A rich awareness of a community working together enables everyone to feel they belong in this school of many faiths.”
SIAMS, 2024

Inclusive and Invitational Worship
Collective Worship is at the heart of our life as a Church of England school. It is distinctively Christian, inclusive and invitational.

Through Bible stories, Christian teaching, prayer, music, stillness and reflection, children explore our values, consider the world around them and reflect on how we live together.

Everyone is invited to participate, but there is no expectation that children share the Christian faith or participate in prayer.

Faith, RE & World-views
Religious Education helps children understand Christianity as a living and diverse faith, alongside other religions and non-religious world-views.

Our community provides rich opportunities to learn with and from people of different faiths and to visit local places of worship. Children learn to ask thoughtful questions, explore different perspectives, reflect on their own beliefs and disagree well.

Our aim is to develop the knowledge, curiosity and respect children need to understand belief and live well alongside others.

“This is a community of many faiths.
There is an overwhelming appreciation of the importance of learning about each other’s beliefs.”
SIAMS, 2024

Church & Community
Our relationship with St Stephen’s Church is an important part of our Christian foundation and the life of Sneinton St. Stephen’s.

Children regularly visit St Stephen’s for services linked to the Christian calendar, while members of the church community join us in school to lead Collective Worship. Leaders support our pupil Spirituality Leads, helping children to develop their leadership and play an active role in worship and services.

Our monthly Church at School sessions give children and families an opportunity to worship together after the school day.

Our relationship extends beyond worship. St Stephen’s and our wider network of local churches provide pastoral support for pupils, families and staff, alongside support from the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham.

We also value our relationships with other faith communities, helping children experience how people with different beliefs and world-views can learn from one another and work together for the common good.

“The relationship between church and school is seamless.”
SIAMS, 2024

Life in All Its Fullness
Ultimately, our Christian vision is expressed in what we want for every child: to belong, to flourish, to live with hope and to recognise that they have something valuable to contribute to the world.

We want every child to know that they are known, valued and championed.

“Sneinton St. Stephen’s deeply embedded Christian vision is being explicitly lived out in this diverse community.
Working together, lives are being transformed enabling all to live life in all its fullness.”
SIAMS, 2024

Right of Withdrawal

We hope that all children will participate in and benefit from our inclusive and invitational approach to Collective Worship and Religious Education.

Parents and carers have a legal right to withdraw their child from Collective Worship and/or Religious Education. We encourage anyone considering withdrawal to speak with the Headteacher so that we can explain our approach, listen to any questions or concerns and discuss what withdrawal would mean in practice.