Vision & Values
At Dagenham Park Church of England School, we believe, we grow, we succeed. Dagenham Park is a truly inclusive school; we are committed to developing each individual, equipping them with the knowledge, habits and character necessary for success in the modern world.
We strive to inspire learners to fulfil their potential, stretching them academically and harnessing their creativity in order to develop resilient young people who make a full contribution to the school, wider community, and beyond.
We are respectful of God’s world, working together to create a caring environment, building resilience and growing together so that all members of our community can succeed.
The Believe, Grow, Succeed standards are underpinned by the parable of the Sower; as seed falls on good ground and the plants produce a rich harvest.
Believe, Grow, Succeed is woven into all aspects of our work within the school and focuses upon nine key standards that the school community aspires to.
We believe
We encourage pupils to strive to achieve and to keep their minds and bodies healthy. Through this standard we foster confidence, delight and discipline in seeking knowledge, truth and understanding and the skills needed to shape life well. We nurture hope and belief in oneself and one’s abilities and promote respect for every member of the school and the wider community.
We grow
We cultivate growth through wisdom and a commitment to learning. We embrace opportunities and show kindness and humanity to those in our community. We promote dignity for all. We seek to embed academic habits and skills, emotional intelligence and creativity across the whole range of school subjects. We embrace opportunities in order to build confidence.
We succeed
Pupils achieve success through resilience, courage and the relationships they have built. Success is realized when pupils are able to cope wisely with things and people going wrong and forgiveness, truth and reconciliation are possible. Success is cemented through a recognition that we are inextricably involved with others and we are each called to build positive relationships in order to contribute responsibly to the community and to make others proud.
Learning Habits
In addition to the Believe, Grow, Succeed standards our school community focuses on five learning habits that we believe are key for students to develop into successful young people, ready for life in modern Britain. The learning habits support our BGS standards and school values.
These habits are practiced both in lessons through classroom activities and through our assembly and tutor programme as well as the wide range of opportunities offered by the school. These habits encourage all students to be:
- Resilient
- Collaborative
- Inquisitive
- Disciplined
- Imaginative
Christian Values & Ethos
At Dagenham Park Church of England School we believe in nine statements that help us to succeed:
Believe in a healthy mind and body.
Just like we are taught in the Bible, our bodies are a temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). As such at Dagenham Park Church of England School we believe in a healthy mind and body.
Believe in striving to be the best we can.
As in Ecclesiastes 9:10, ‘whatever the activity in which you engage, do it with all your ability’. This is a core value at Dagenham Park Church of England School as we strive to be the best we can.
Believe in respecting each other and ourselves.
As we are all made imago Dei (Genesis 1:27), respecting each other and ourselves is of the upmost importance here at Dagenham Park Church of England School.
Grow through learning.
At Dagenham Park Church of England School we grow through learning. Just as Jesus of Nazareth as a child ‘grew in wisdom’ and the disciples of Jesus grew through his teachings and learned from his example, we grow through learning both spiritually and academically.
As Jesus taught love is at the heart of what we believe here at Dagenham Park Church of England School. Just like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we believe that humanity and kindness is fundamental to creating a cohesive and loving community.
Grow through embracing our opportunities.
Colossians 4:5 teaches ‘make the most of every opportunity’. In the same way, we grow through embracing our opportunities here at Dagenham Park Church of England School.
Succeed in making others proud.
As Galatians 6:4 states, ‘each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to anyone else…’. We believe in taking pride in ourselves here at Dagenham Park Church of England School and this leads to making others proud, too.
Succeed in being resilient and courageous.
There are many examples of persecution throughout history, particularly the persecution of the early Christians. In the same way that early Christians reacted with resilience and courage, we too here at Dagenham Park Church of England School act with resilience and courage and succeed in doing so
Succeed in building positive relationships.
Loving our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:31) is fundamental to our beliefs here at Dagenham Park Church of England School. Just as Jesus showed agape love to others, we too show this kind of love. We promote this in every situation, even when sometimes showing love is difficult.
The Parable of the Sower
The Believe, Grow, Succeed standards are underpinned by the parable of the Sower. Jesus tells of a farmer who sows seed indiscriminately. Some seed falls on the path (wayside) with no soil, some on rocky ground with little soil, some on soil which contains thorns, and some on good soil. In the first case, the seed is taken away; in the second and third soils, the seed fails to produce a crop; but when it falls on good soil, it grows and yields thirty-, sixty-, or a hundred-fold.
Jesus later explains to his disciples that the seed represents the Gospel, the Sower represents anyone who proclaims it, and the various soils represent people's responses to it.
‘But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.’
— Mark 4:10–20
From those who embody the values of Christ and are open to hearing his message good things will come.
This parable is essential for understanding the rest of Jesus' parables. It makes clear that as a school if we pay attention to the values of believe, grow, succeed and the school’s Christian message regardless of our individual beliefs the kingdom of God will succeed, and our school community will flourish.
Therefore, at Dagenham Park Church of England School our community will believe, grow and succeed.
