Being part of a family of Church of England schools allows us to offer an education that is distinctively Christian. Although each church school will be unique, all church schools will share core values based on the Gospel values. Therefore, our school is a place where loving God and loving our neighbours, is lived out in the daily life of our school.

Our School's Vision and Values can be found here:

St Nicolas Church of England Academy is distinctive because:

• Our shared Christian vision of ‘Together we Flourish’ is based on the Bible parable of the sower which is deeply rooted in Christian theology.
• Using Jesus as our guide, our Christian values, morals and ethos are purposefully woven throughout our everyday experiences.
• St Nicolas Church and the wider community play a key part in our sense of family, collaborating throughout our school lives and beyond, ensuring a sense of belonging to something bigger; where everyone is welcome and valued as a unique individual.
• We value and support our whole community to flourish spiritually, morally, socially, culturally, academically and emotionally.
• We enable our children to express, explore, experience and reflect and be courageous advocates and the change makers of the future e.g. worship leaders, Rights Respecting School Leaders
• We work alongside children to reflect upon the significance of the big questions in life; which include local, national and global events, through collective worship and the curriculum

Our Church

We are proud of our strong bond with our local church of St Nicolas. Staff and children take part in regular church services throughout the academic year to coincide with both the Christian and school’s academic calendar including Christmas, Harvest and Easter. These services involve the whole school community, parents, members of the local community and are led by our school’s vicar. These can be in school or at times at St Nicolas Church.

In addition, members of the Parish Church of St Nicolas congregation are also welcomed in school to support with RE provision and Eucharist services. They adopt a pastoral role for both children, staff and the wider community.

Members of our governing body (including the Chair) are within our church community and share linked opportunities such as Year 6 leaver’s service, donating bibles to our oldest children as they depart for the next part in their educational journey.

Collective Worship

At St Nicolas CofE Academy Collective Worship forms an integral part of everyday school life. It provides children with the opportunity to reflect on their own lives and the lives of others, explore the Christian faith in greater depth and develop a wellrounded understanding of the world in which we live.  In accordance with the law for all schools and academies, at St Nicolas, we hold a daily act of collective worship which is of a broadly Christian character, reflecting the diverse traditions of Christian belief and marking the cycle of the church’s year. We strive to ensure that our acts of worship are inspirational, invitational and inclusive for all members of our school community. 

For further information see our policy here: https://www.stnicolas.covmat.org/policies/ 

Religious Education

RE plays a significant role in the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It promotes respect and open-mindedness towards others with different faiths and beliefs and encourages pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging through self-awareness and reflection.

Our R.E. curriculum is purposefully designed to ensure that the children leave St Nicolas Church of England Academy with a clear and coherent understanding of the main teachings of Christianity as well as an understanding of and an appreciation for other religious and world views. 

Our curriculum aims to establish an environment for encountering and enquiring about religious and non-religious world views whilst exploring the diversity of belief held within them. 

Our intention is for children to flourish in R.E. by providing opportunities for them to reflect upon their own experiences as unique individuals as well as considering the views of others. 

As a Church of England school, we place a high importance upon the value of respect, which ripples throughout our curriculum and in R.E. in particular.  We strive to ensure that our children are enabled to become compassionate and knowledgeable learners, who are empowered to become courageous advocates and the change makers of the future. 

Further information can be found here: https://www.stnicolas.covmat.org/religious-education/

Spirituality

The Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust recognises that there is not one single definition of spirituality; spirituality is an innate human capacity. We at St Nicolas link it to flourishing.

It is difficult to define, but we all have a sense of it. One way to look is like a ring doughnut – spirituality is the core centre that we can’t see, but is essential to its being. We are helping to develop the whole child including this spiritual core. It is unique to every individual and it is what makes me, me and you, you.

It is not something we can teach but we can give opportunities for others to flourish on their own pathway, knowing the journey is never completed. It is truthful and honest looking at the Wow’s and Ow’s (good and bad) and it is a connection to yourself, others, the world and God/Beyond.

Spiritual development is not about becoming more spiritual (in a measurable or expansive sense). It is about realising or becoming more and more aware of one’s natural, innate spirituality. This is sometimes a slow and gradual process, at other times there might be significant stages of realisation, which are part of the ongoing ‘developing’ process. 

 Spiritual development is both intentional and open to the unplanned and spontaneous opportunities flourishing church schools provide as normative.  

Further information can be found in our MAT spirituality policy here: https://www.stnicolas.covmat.org/policies/

Together We Flourish

Our mission, as a school with a religious character, is to provide an education of depth and quality in a Christian ethos which ensures the children and adults have the nurturing and aspirational environment to reach their full potential.

Further information about Mental Health and Wellbeing can be found here: https://www.stnicolas.covmat.org/mental-health-well-being/

Further information about courageous advocacy can be found on our Rights Respecting School page here: https://www.stnicolas.covmat.org/rights-respecting-school/

Our Christian Foundation and the SIAMS Inspection Framework as a Multi Academy Trust

The Core Mission of the Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust is to build a better future for everyone within our Academies who will, in turn have a positive impact within their own communities. Inspired by John, Chapter 10, Verse 10, all our work is deeply rooted within our Christian foundation and our overarching aim to enable all pupils and colleagues to live life in all its fullness.

For further information about how the Multi Academy Trust (MAT) support us as an academy see the document below: