Introduction
Your vision and values are not just words on a page; they are the soul of your school. They define your culture, guide your mission, and shape your approach to education. But how effectively are you communicating these vital elements to your community?
This blog, written by parent engagement expert Adrian Burt, will help schools effectively create their vision and values page on their website and offers tips on what to include and how to present the page for maximum impact.
The power of values
Every primary school has a vision and values page on its website, offering guidance and inspiration to parents, children, staff, and the wider community. These values reflect your school's ethos, culture, and educational philosophy. They're the cornerstone upon which you build positive lifelong learning skills and well-rounded individuals.
Common values include:
- Collaboration
- Compassion
- Excellence
- Inclusivity
- Integrity
- Perseverance
- Respect
- Responsibility
But how do you bring these values to life? How do you ensure they're more than just words on a page? If you look at your current page, do you think things could be improved, or is it already the best it can be? If you think there’s room for improvement, read on...
Presenting your vision and values
Many primary schools in the UK struggle to effectively communicate their values and programs to parents. But it's not just about creating a webpage; it's about empowering families to actively participate in their children's educational journey, bridging the gap between school and home. 
8 simple steps to a supercharged vision and values page
Below are eight best practices to help schools supercharge their vision and values page, making it engaging, informative, and accessible to everyone.
1. Clear layout and design
- Create a clearly laid-out page with lots of white space and engaging imagery.
- Ensure your page is mobile-friendly and responsive to different screen sizes.
2. Accessible language
- Include content that is written in simple English and easy to translate.
3. Explain your vision and ethos
- List your school’s vision and ethos, explaining what this means and how it impacts pupils and daily school life.
4. List your values and learning behaviours:
- List your school’s values and desired learning behaviours, detailing what each means and why it's important to children’s development.
5. Implement your values in daily practices:
- Explain how teachers can instil and recognise these values in class.
6. Link to your Rewards and Recognition Program:
- Link the page to your school’s rewards and recognition program to associate positive behaviour and achievements with the school’s vision and values.
7. Parental involvement:
- Highlight to parents the importance of active involvement in their child’s education and the impact this makes.
- Explain to parents what they can do to support their child at home, with clear examples.
8. Integration with Parent Engagement Tools:
- Integrate the page with your school's parent engagement app and communication tools.
Supercharge your values with MarvellousMe
Many schools use MarvellousMe, a rewards and parent engagement app, to amplify the impact of their values and rewards programs. With MarvellousMe:
- Schools can mirror their values and character designs/illustrations as MarvellousMe badges for a perfectly joined-up solution.
- The MarvellousMe badges can be created with a URL link, seamlessly directing parents back to the school’s website for more information and guidance.
Act now for a big impact in the new academic year!
Don't let your school's vision and values remain mere words on a webpage. The start of the new academic year is the perfect time to bring them to life and engage parents, children, staff, and the wider community in your educational journey.
If you are an existing Juniper Website customer - download our free vision and values template.
Or, if you're using another CMS, that's perfectly fine too. We've created a free docx template for you to download that you can easily copy and paste onto your website.
