A Woodard Education

Ranby House School is an Incorporated Woodard Foundation school and therefore maintains the ethos of a Woodard school.  In practice this means that the school has a strongly Christian tradition with Christian worship centred round the Eucharist.

The School also places great importance upon a sense of community where the pastoral care of pupils, parents and staff is a high priority.  Christian values are reflected in the Core Values of the School, these being:

Show Respect, Be Honest, Listen, Forgive, Be Kind and Helpful, Always Do Your Best.

These values reflect the importance given by the School to educating the pupils in mind, body and spirit and are central to the worship and teaching emanating from the Chapel.  The Chapel therefore has a central role in the life of Ranby House School.

Philosophy

It is important that both pupils and staff have a sense of ownership of the Chapel; for this reason as many pupils and members of staff as possible are encouraged to be actively involved in Chapel worship. Because of this, Chapel worship aims to be broadly Christian in nature. Whilst the school is a Christian foundation, every attempt is made to enable all pupils and staff to feel comfortable with chapel worship.

For this reason a great deal of freedom is given to both pupils and staff to interpret themes as they wish. This is particularly true of mid-week services which often have more emphasis on spirituality and morality than on strictly Christian teaching and reference to festivals or teaching from other religions may take place.

Pupils come from a variety of backgrounds which may represent other faiths or none; it is the policy of the school that all pupils attend chapel regardless of their background. Parents make this commitment when they send their children to the school. However pupils of other faiths or none should not feel uncomfortable with chapel worship and every attempt is made to emphasise the out-workings of faith rather than the need to believe in a particular religion.

The Rev D R Moore, Chaplain