We are delighted to welcome everyone back to St Mark’s for the start of a new school year. A new year brings new beginnings, new opportunities and new ways for every member of our school family to let their light shine.

This year, we are excited to introduce our new HERO values, which will help guide the way we learn, behave, build relationships and care for one another.

Our HERO values are:

Honest ⭐

We tell the truth, take responsibility for our choices and do what is right.

We are active in our learning. We listen, participate, ask questions, stay focused, persevere and always try our best.

We treat everyone with kindness and respect, value our differences and care for our school, community and world.

We listen to different ideas, are willing to learn from others, try new things and understand that we do not all have to think or believe in the same way.

Our HERO values are closely connected to our Christian vision, “Let your light shine” (Matthew 5:16). Throughout the year, children will explore the Bible stories that help bring each value to life: Daniel and the Lions’ Den for honesty, the Parable of the Sower for engagement, Noah’s Ark for respect and care, and the Good Samaritan for open-mindedness, compassion and love for others.

Being a HERO does not mean being perfect. It means recognising that our choices matter. We want our children to understand that being ready to learn, showing kindness, listening to others, persevering when something is difficult and making responsible choices can help both their own light and the lights of those around them to shine.

As we begin our new school year, we will be learning together that:

🌟 Every light is different.
🌟 Every light matters.
🌟 Every light deserves an opportunity to shine.
🌟 Every light can make a difference.

We look forward to celebrating our Learning HEROES throughout the year and seeing the many wonderful ways our children use their individual gifts, talents, words and actions to make St Mark’s, our community and our world a brighter place.

Here’s to a wonderful new year of learning, growing and shining together! 🌟