Visions and Values
'Authentic values are those by which a life can be lived, which can form a people that produces great deeds and thoughts.' Allan Bloom
A value is a principle that guides our thinking and our behaviour.
At SFH, every individual is valued for who they are and what they contribute to the school.
Values are intended to support the personal, social and spiritual development of every pupil throughout the school.
Our values are those which we consider important within the school community and which will be important throughout life.
We promote our shared values and recognise where others are ‘living the values’. These values guide us in how we behave and respond to situations every day. They help us build positive and improving relationships, which in turn help our school to be a better place for us all to
‘Learn, Achieve, Succeed’.
Value of the Month
CREATIVITY
Creative thinking is important because it helps you look at problems and situations from a fresh perspective. Creativity is being innovative, problem-solving, adaptable and flexible as to how problems are solved. Sir Ken Robinson defines creativity as follows ‘Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value.’ He suggests that creativity is about imagination and innovation. He says ‘Imagination is the root of creativity. It is the ability to bring to mind things that aren’t present to our senses. Creativity is putting your imagination to work. It is applied imagination. Innovation is putting new ideas into practice.’
All people have creative abilities and we all have them differently. When individuals find their creative strengths, it can have an enormous impact on self-esteem and on overall achievement. By promoting creativity in school, we can give the opportunity to discover and pursue particular interests and talents. Creative pupils, it can be argued, lead richer lives and, in the longer term, make a valuable contribution to society. Creative thinking in classrooms alters the way we approach a problem. It allows us to think outside the box, experiment and come up with innovative ways to find solutions for various problems. It also improves communication skills. Valuing the importance of creativity can give people the opportunity to follow their interests and talents and experience the rich cultural life they deserve.
The expressive arts provide opportunities for children and young people to explore, refine and communicate ideas, engaging their thinking, imagination and senses creatively’ Successful Futures. Creativity is not limited to the arts but covers the whole curriculum. All subjects offer children the opportunity to be creative. Creative thinking and behaviour encourage the development of personal, learning and thinking skills which are the characteristics of a successful learner, enabling them to produce independent, thoughtful and original work. The Future Jobs Report published by the World Economic Forum outlines the top 10 skills needed as we move into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Creativity will become one of the top three skills workers will need. In this fast changing world of new technologies and new ways of working, we are going to have to become more creative in order to benefit from these changes. Creativity or being open to the acquisition of new knowledge and innovative skills, will shape our world like no other force imaginable. Take a chance, if you are not prepared to be wrong you will never come up with anything original – do not be frightened of being wrong as this educates people out of being creative – educating the creativity out of us! Value your creative capacity, explore your gift of imagination. Try finding different ways of exploring creativity, including those using new technology. Be excited by the opportunities given to you that allow you to access material and activities that stimulate your creativity.