Our Christian Vision and How We Shine Brightly!
The ASJ Way - Aspiring to Shine for Jesus!
3 succinct aims for each member of our school family:
With God’s help we can achieve anything and we aspire to be the best that we can be.
We shine like a beacon of light within our community with an open door so that all feel welcome.
Our special family (school, church and community) follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
In short, we all...Aspire to Shine for Jesus!
Our aspirational vision is anchored by a bible passage which encompasses our mission for each member of our Christian community, young and old, to find and develop their talents:
Let your light shine.
Matthew 5:16
To accompany our vision we now focus on 3 core Christian values:
Courage
Community
Compassion
Our Trust helps us to shine brightly in all that we do. Their vision can be found here.
Our ASPIRE Curriculum
From our ASJ Way vision, we created our ASPIRE curriculum:
Achieve through resilience and perseverance
Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again… (Proverbs 24:16)
Show respect for Christian and British values
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)
Promote high expectations for all
We are the body of Christ, and each one of us is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:27)
Inspire lifelong readers
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)
Revisit knowledge and skills to embed learning
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver. (Proverbs 16:16)
Encourage a love of learning
Do everything in love. (1 Corinthians 16:14)
Extra-Curricular Opportunities
We regularly carry out pupil voice questionnaires to find out what type of clubs children would be interested in attending.
As well as external providers and school staff delivering opportunities, we found that our Year 6 children were budding leaders and were keen to lead activities themselves, supervised by an adult. During lunchtimes, our Nurture Nest is a hive of activity with the school newspaper, chess and mindful colouring being led by our Year 6 children.
We encourage the children to become members of the Children's University scheme.
Children collect evidence of the hours of learning both in and out of school. A high number of our children are fortunate to have supportive families who encourage attendance at uniformed organisations, gymnastics, swimming, football, martial arts and dancing to name a few!
The children have the opportunity to graduate at the end of Year 2 and the end of Year 6 at Edge Hill University, living out our vision of raising aspirations through visiting a University campus and wearing a cap and gown.
Spirituality at ASJ
Spiritual development is not an isolated aspect of school life but is woven into every element of the curriculum.
Rooted in the school’s Christian vision, Aspire to Shine for Jesus, spiritual growth is nurtured through learning experiences that inspire awe, encourage deep reflection, and foster a sense of meaning and purpose.
Spirituality is understood as a deep connection to ourselves, others, and the wider world, brought about by a sense of belonging and an appreciation of the beauty and wonder of God’s creation. It is about personal and moral development, which allows each individual to explore the person they want to become, while recognising the presence of something greater than oneself. This sense of spirituality invites a response that brings insight, reflection, and meaning to one's life. Spirituality is about being present, experiencing the awe and wonder in everything we encounter, and finding a sense of purpose and meaning in life.
This understanding of spirituality is reflected in the shared language of Liz Mills; ‘Windows, Mirrors and Doors’ from which the Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust (LDST) has introduced: 'Learning about self and others', 'Delight in the beauty and joy of God’s world', 'Struggles and puzzles', and 'Time to take action'.
These ideas help pupils engage with spirituality in ways that are accessible and meaningful to them. Spirituality, in this context, is not only about individual growth but also about community, relationships, and connection to the wider world.
Our Spirituality Policy can be viewed below:
Collective Worship
Our Christian vision, "Aspire to Shine for Jesus", and the Anglican foundation profoundly shape the practice of daily collective worship and spirituality, ensuring that they are central to the life of the school and help pupils and adults flourish spiritually.
The worship life at ASJ is designed to be a space where all members of the school community, regardless of background or faith, can engage meaningfully with Christian values and spirituality. Through its inclusive, invitational, and inspirational approach, the worship life supports the spiritual flourishing of pupils, staff, and visitors, allowing everyone to feel valued and encouraged in their faith journeys.
Our Collective Worship policy can be viewed below:
Wellbeing at ASJ
Our theologically rooted Christian vision, “Let your light shine” (Matthew 5:16), and the belief that every member of the community should “Aspire to Shine for Jesus” are the foundation of a culture where every individual is valued, respected, and supported to flourish.
These guiding principles, expressed through the school’s core Christian values of courage, community, and compassion, are deeply embedded in relationships, policy, and practice.
They inspire us to ensure that all children and adults are treated with dignity, equity, and love, following the example of Jesus.
Policies to support us with this aim can be viewed here.
We have introduced additional resources to support our core PSHE curriculum including:
myHappymind - School has received the Silver accreditation for supporting staff and children with their mental health and wellbeing
Zones of Regulation - This supports our children in recognising and regulating their feelings and behaviours
Picture News - This provides an opportunity to discuss big questions and enables a safe environment to potentially disagree well with current affairs
Additionally, staff are trained to use attachment and trauma informed approaches, school recently received the bronze Attachment and Trauma Informed Schools Award.
Our LDST Promise
Rooted in Trust values, our LDST Promise ensures every child benefits from high-quality enrichment opportunities that inspire them to Love, Discover, Serve and Thrive Together.
Through this promise, we nurture compassionate, curious, and confident young people, ready to face the world with a heart full of love, a mind open to discovery, a spirit of service, and a commitment to thriving together across our Trust.
This shared commitment unites our schools and communities, providing opportunities to share ideas, achieve common goals, and inspire one another to live out our vision and values.
What is our LDST Promise?
We promise that children in LDST will benefit from high quality experiences and opportunities that enable them to Love, Discover, Serve and Thrive Together.
Through our LDST promise, our children will:
Love and understand the importance of love in relationships and communities
Discover and be curious, confident, lifelong learners
Serve others, to make our communities a better place
Thrive Together - collaborating as kind and empathetic individuals ready to contribute to a global society
Each term, children from across the Trust will take part in engaging, thought-provoking activities to bring a sense of togetherness and belonging.
ASJ Ambassadors
At ASJ we want our children to feel heard.
Every member of our school has a part to play in school improvement as an ASJ Ambassador.
In September, each child is placed in a team with a link teacher and a subject area of interest.
This year, some of our ambassador groups include:
Pupil Leadership Team - meeting with Mrs O'Brien to provide pupil voice around the school improvement priorities for the year
Values In Practice - our ethos leaders responsible for ensuring our Christian values are lived and loved
School Newspaper - collaborating to spread ASJ joy amongst our community
Reading - supporting the I of our ASPIRE curriculum and 'Inspiring lifelong readers'.
Community champs - a focus on one of our core Christian values of community
Meetings are held throughout the year with the children planning and participating in a project which they can reflect on and celebrate in the summer term.
Previous projects include: PE and play leaders designing the outdoor trim trail, VIPs meeting with the Archdeacon and interviewing Reverend Jackie before she took up role, community champs working with PCSOs and addressing speeding down our school road.
To empower our children, they need to be able to see a tangible difference that they have made...together...as a team!
Religious Education
Religious Education (RE) holds a central place in the curriculum and is recognised as a key driver in realising the school’s Christian vision: “Let your light shine”.
The belief that all should “Aspire to Shine for Jesus” is embodied in the way RE is taught - with rigour, theological integrity, inclusivity, and a commitment to helping pupils explore deep questions of faith, identity, and community.
It is a subject that illuminates understanding, fosters respectful dialogue, and encourages spiritual and moral growth, enabling pupils to reflect deeply and live with compassion and courage.
The school follows the Questful RE syllabus (developed by Blackburn Diocese) ensuring robust and deep theological exploration.
The curriculum is designed to be challenging and enquiry-based, with a clear progression of knowledge, vocabulary, and conceptual understanding.
Pupils explore a wide range of faiths, including Christianity as the majority faith, as well as Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and others. They also include world views such as a unit of work which includes Humanism - helping them to appreciate diversity and develop mutual respect.
Units are carefully sequenced, encouraging pupils to make connections across learning and real-life ethical issues.
RE lessons are interactive and reflective, encouraging questioning, discussion, creativity, and personal response.
As a result, RE at ASJ equips pupils with the tools to shine intellectually, spiritually, and socially, preparing them to be thoughtful and respectful citizens in a diverse world.
Our RE Policy can be viewed below: