At St Edward’s Church of England Academy, we are very proud of our links to the Diocese of Lichfield and the wider Christian family of the Church of England.
Useful Websites:
- Lichfield Diocese Website
- Lichfield Diocesan Board of Education
- Church of England Website
- St Edward the Confessor, Leek. Our local Church
The Spiritual Vision for Education within a Church of England Academy
At St Edward’s, we believe Christian education is rooted in something real and meaningful. It is shaped by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, which sits at the heart of everything we do.
We see education as more than knowledge. It is about relationships, personal growth, and encountering faith in everyday life. Inspired by Jesus’ call to teach and serve, we aim to share our values in a way that is welcoming, thoughtful, and freely offered.
Our Christian ethos is reflected across the school—in our teaching, worship, relationships, and the way we care for one another. Through our vision of “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10), we support every member of our community to grow in a happy, healthy, and nurturing environment.
Our vision in action
We follow the Church of England’s vision for education, supporting the development of the whole person—spiritually, socially, emotionally, and academically.
Our core values guide daily life at St Edward’s:
- Respect – valuing ourselves, others, and the world around us
- Courage – trying new things, standing up for what is right
- Hope – looking forward with confidence and positivity
- Friendship – building strong, supportive relationships
These values shape how we learn, behave, and grow together.
Our wider purpose
As a school community, we aim to:
- Care for others through kindness and service
- Promote fairness, understanding, and respect
- Encourage pupils to make a positive difference
- Value and protect the world we share
We believe education should help young people understand themselves and their place in the world.
A Holistic Education
Spiritual Development at St Edward’s
As a Church of England Academy, we are committed to nurturing the whole child. We believe spirituality is about becoming aware of and connecting with something beyond ourselves, as we explore questions of meaning, purpose, identity, and our place in the world.
At St Edward’s, spiritual development takes place through our curriculum, collective worship, relationships, and wider opportunities such as visits to our local church, access to our spiritual garden, and extracurricular activities. We recognise that spirituality is personal and may be experienced through faith, nature, creativity, reflection, music, or acts of kindness.
We encourage pupils to consider important questions such as:
- Who am I?
- Why am I here?
- How should I live?
To support spiritual growth, we use a simple framework of Notice, Reflect, Act:
- Notice – recognising the world around us and moments of wonder, beauty, faith, and connection.
- Reflect – thinking deeply about our experiences and considering their impact on ourselves and others.
- Act – responding positively through our choices, relationships, and service to others.
Through this approach, we aim to help pupils develop confidence, self-awareness, empathy, resilience, and a sense of responsibility towards others and the world around them.
Vision for Education – Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good