Mission, Values & Vision

OUR MISSION

Why was it that the founders of the Cathedral at the end of the Seventh Century also thought it so important to establish a school? Their mission, all those years ago, remains ours today. Hereford Cathedral School’s purpose is to grow people, transform lives and shape futures.

This is why we exist and what motivates each of us to get out of bed in the morning. It is a remarkable privilege and a solemn responsibility to work in partnership with families to deliver a values-based, future-oriented, and life-transforming education which prepares those in our care to be real-world ready and to thrive in a rapidly-changing world.

OUR VALUES

Many schools, businesses, and organisations have a set of values hanging on the wall which are very detached from the ethos, culture and day-to-day decision making. At Hereford Cathedral School our three values underpin everything that we do and are the moral and ethical touchstone which determine the behaviours we exhibit, the choices we make, and the things that we consider important. By definition, our values therefore simultaneously determine the behaviours which we shun, the choices we reject, and the things that we consider unimportant. After all, if everything is a priority, then nothing is. Ultimately, our values constitute who we, and what we stand for.

As a Cathedral School, our values are aligned with the tenets of the Christian faith, while also being universal to the betterment of all society.

Kindness

We are a kind school and this is the word that is most commonly used to describe us by visitors, parents, pupils, and our wider community. In practical terms this means being considerate, compassionate and helpful towards others; it requires the demonstration of empathy, goodwill and a care for others. In contemporary society, this is a virtue which is often lacking.

Courage

Courageous individuals are often afraid but their courage is greater than their fear. This can manifest itself in countless ways such as singing a solo, trying something new, or holding people accountable for behaviours which don’t support our values. As a School, we are courageous in our ambition to confront and overcome obstacles whether physical, emotional or moral. This means taking appropriate risks, not fearing failure and standing up for what is right.

Integrity

Integrity means doing the right thing on a bad day, even when no one is looking. It means holding to strong moral principles which are adhered to consistently, even when faced with the challenge or temptation to act otherwise. Ultimately, it means being reliable, dependable, and fulfilling commitments. Fairness and justice are the bedrock of integrity and they influence the decisions that we make and the way that we conduct ourselves as an organisation.

In articulating our values with clarity, prospective families and prospective staff can judge whether this is a community of which they want to be a part. An alignment on these three core values plays an important role in selecting which pupils are admitted to the School and which colleagues are employed. Values also underpins how we exercise discipline within the School; they are not abstract concepts, but principles which are lived out in the day-to-day decisions and actions that we take.

OUR VISION

While we have a long and venerable history, our eyes are firmly fixed upon the future with an ambitious and crystal-clear vision of what we want to achieve and who we want to be.

To deliver the very best academic outcomes and post-18 destinations

Academic excellence means that every pupil achieves their greatest potential. Qualifications provide the passport for the next phase of a young person’s education or employment and our GCSE and A-Level outcomes are exceptional. Relatedly, our Sixth Formers leave to take up places at some of the world’s leading universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, LSE, and King’s College London, as well as institutions overseas, particularly in Canada and the USA. Additionally, students take up places on highly competitive degree apprenticeships, while others still become entrepreneurs. Our vision is for every pupil to be ambitious and aspirational in their approach to life beyond HCS and to thrive in the next phase of their education or employment.

To ensure every pupil leaves real-world ready and is equipped for the future

It is difficult to quantify the ever-accelerating speed of change be that technologically, economically or geopolitically. We are conscious that our students will likely be retiring in the 2080s or 2090s and we can scarcely conceive of what the world will be like at that time. What we do know, however, is that certain skills, aptitudes, dispositions and qualities remain timeless and essential. These include the developing of emotional intelligence, a curiosity for new ways of approaching problems, resilience in the face of challenge, and a mindset which understands the interconnectivity of the modern, global world. We know that students will need to learn, unlearn, and relearn throughout their lives as things around them change. Our vision is for every pupil to be agile, flexible, curious, thoughtful, collaborative and collegial problem-solvers who will be at the vanguard of success for the next generation.

To be pupils of outstanding moral character who lead and serve their communities

Without producing students of integrity, virtue and morality, students will become more knowledgeable but not necessarily more wise; they may make decisions without reflecting on the ramifications of such choices for those around them, and their lives may lack the meaning, purpose and direction from which happiness flows. Underpinned by our Christian values of kindness, courage, and integrity, we want every student to grow up into young people who will enrich and benefit our society. We want our students to be the sort of people that parents want their children to marry, the sort of employee that bosses want to hire, and the sort of individual that leaders want on their teams. Being a leader means serving others – it comes with responsibility, duty and sacrifice. Our vision is for every pupil to serve others through their leadership and for families, societies, organisations and the world to be a better place as a consequence of our educational foundations.

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