Our Vision for Courageous Advocacy at St Mary’s Hampton
Faith, Hope, and Love in Action
At St Mary’s Hampton, our vision is deeply rooted in the enduring Christian values of faith, hope, and love, as expressed in 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” These values serve not only as a foundation for our community but also as a call to courageous advocacy for all.
Faith:
Faith helps us to build trust, stay true to our values, and find strength when life gets tough. We encourage our children to stand up for what they believe in and speak out for what is right, even when it’s hard. Faith reminds us to treat everyone with fairness and respect, to listen to every voice, and to ensure that everyone feels valued and included in our school family.
Hope:
Hope inspires us to imagine a brighter future and helps our children believe they have the power to make a difference. It teaches them to dream big, work hard, and never give up, even when things don’t go as planned. With hope, we encourage our children to see possibilities beyond today’s challenges and work together to create a kinder, more inclusive world.
Love:
Love is at the heart of everything we do. It’s about showing kindness, empathy, and care to everyone around us, making sure that every child feels safe, appreciated, and supported. Love helps us to stand up for those who need help, to forgive, and to build understanding across differences. It is through love that we create a school where everyone feels they belong and where acts of compassion and courage come naturally.
Our vision of courageous advocacy shapes everything we do. It informs our strategic priorities, influences our policies, and inspires our daily interactions. As a school community, we are committed to nurturing young advocates who will carry forward the legacy of faith, hope, and – most importantly -love, making a positive difference in the world.
Together, we believe that through courageous advocacy, we can create a brighter, more just future, where every child not only flourishes but also learns to uplift and empower others.
Courageous advocacy in our school:
- Encourages children to think widely and deeply about issues (asking ‘why?’);
- Empowers children to understand political processes and their own rights and responsibilities in society;
- Encourages children to think of creative solutions to problems (asking ‘what can be done about it?’)
- Equips children to identify where power is located and how decisions are made;
- Enables children to express themselves confidently and articulately to decision-makers and others
As a school, we are proud to support many charities, both local, national and global, giving our pupils a chance to look at world issues and a voice to discuss them and be a part of the solution. These charities are voted for by the School Council and children are encouraged to reflect on the needs of others and actively involve themselves in fundraising; these include:
- Hampton Hygiene bank
- Red cross
- Macmillan
- Children In Need
- Comic Relief
- Richmond Food Bank
- Vineyard community
- MTV Youth centre (T4 Project)
- Tearfund