At The River School our purpose is to place Jesus Christ at the centre of our life and activity. We believe that this is the way to provide children and young people with stable foundations for their futures. Consequently, all aspects of the School's work are measured against the standards provided by biblical Christian belief.

Sadly, this is in sharp contrast to British society in the 21st century, as we live in a culture rife with problems and difficulties. Standards of respect, behaviour and morality have fallen dramatically in public and private life, as well as in the media. We have an increasingly materialistic culture, strongly inclined towards self-satisfaction and instant gratification. Family life and stability have suffered decline but personal insecurities, fears and their effects have increased. The abuse of alcohol and drugs, combined with a growth in violence and crime are continual sources of concern and tragedy for many individuals and families.

Our educational system mirrors many of these problems. Schools struggle to maintain respect for staff, bullying amongst pupils is commonplace and staff, often through no fault of their own, feel frustrated and unable to teach effectively. Many parents are unhappy about the content of their children's curriculum or the way that problems of behaviour in school and motivation in learning are dealt with. Families can find themselves in conflict with the school's values and approach. The outcome is that children can be given confusing messages about their own identity and beliefs.

The Christian basis of The River School's worldview has allowed us the opportunity to develop an approach to education that provides answers to many of these problems. Our pupils are happy and settled in the environment provided here and are well prepared for their lives beyond the School.  All staff are committed Christians and in full support of the school's Christian ethos.