The Purposes

St Teilo’s is committed to educating for:

Wisdom, meaning children and young people seek out and delight in challenge and set themselves high standards in all areas of life. They are questioning, judicious and ready to learn throughout their lives.

Hope, meaning children and young people connect and apply their thinking to reframe problems and give of their energy to benefit others. They are imaginative, resilient and ready to play a full part in life.

Community, meaning children and young people are committed to diverse society, to the sustainability of creation and to the flourishing of all people. They are responsible, thoughtful and ready to be citizens of Wales and the world.

Dignity, meaning children and young people are enfolded in positive relationships and value the preciousness of themselves and others. They are spiritually, physically and emotionally well and ready to live life in all its fullness.

In doing these things, we might all grow the Kingdom of Christ in Cardiff, Wales and the world.

Our Christian Inspiration

The school’s intentions and purposes, taken together, form an ‘ecology’ of the fullness of life, each in interplay with all the others. We call this our ‘mission’.

Wisdom

The conviction that the pursuit of wisdom is consistent with how God has shaped the world and ourselves is at the heart of our dedication to educating for knowledge and skills. The best human wisdom – the kind we want, the kind we can have, as a blood-bought gift of Jesus – is the factual knowledge, situational insight and necessary resolve that, together, succeeds in attaining full and everlasting happiness:

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (Luke 2:52)
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! (Proverbs 16:16)

Hope

The conviction that there is hope in God’s future for the world and promise of life in all its fullness is at the heart of our dedication to educating for aspiration. Hope and aspiration are social, as well as individual, as our own flourishing cannot be separated from that of others. The drama of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection inspires both a realism about our fallibility and a confidence in transformation for the better:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

Community

The conviction that we are created and sustained by God for living together in communities is at the heart of our dedication to educating for living well together. Living before God and living with and for others go together in Jesus. He embodies the centrality of relationships in love, compassion, generosity, truth-telling, forgiveness, and gathering a community:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)

Dignity

The conviction that every person is created in the image of God and is loved by God is at the heart of our dedication to educating for respect. Our commitment to the dignity of all people is shaped by the person and example of Jesus. The ultimate worth of each person is shown in the Gospels through his teaching, healing, feeding, sharing hospitality, befriending, and forgiving:

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Colossians 1:15)
You have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:10-11)
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)