Jonathan Winch

Whether you are a student, a parent, a friend of College or a visitor I am delighted to invite you to explore Emmanuel College.

Although we have only recently celebrated our twentieth anniversary, Emmanuel stands in a tradition of education which is centuries old. Emmanuel College exists to impart knowledge, skills and understanding to the next generation, exploring fundamental questions with students and encouraging the exchange of ideas in preparation for the moment when each will take his or her place as a leader in society, responsible for the welfare and development of others.

This is an exciting and rewarding vision! Our success is dependent on the contribution of each member of the school community. We think of staff, student and parent bodies as three legs of a tripod, each equally vital if it's going to work.

Our philosophy of leadership is drawn from the person and teaching of Christ. We believe in leading by example, and our task as a staff body is to serve the young people whom we lead.

The challenge is to get our students to be better than they think they can be - to inspire greatness, because nothing less will do. In raising our aspirations for our young people to the very highest level, we are consciously drawing upon the Bible's understanding of what it means to be human: created in the image of God, fallen yet redeemable by Christ. This understanding of human nature underpins both our high expectations and our academic rigour. It ensures that we strive for excellence whilst holding one another accountable for the achievement of our goals.

A foremost ambition is that each student should become a man or woman of character. Emmanuel's culture emphasises responsibilities rather than rights, academic reports comment on character first, and the community is enriched by students' willingness to use their gifts to serve one another. The pursuit of moral excellence is an end in itself of course, but it is our belief and experience that the achievement of personal best - whether in academic study, music, art, sport, drama or any other sphere of endeavour - is impossible without strength of character. Students who join us in Year 7 encounter consistent rules, role models and traditions, requiring them to respect others as well as helping them to feel safe as part of a family. And there is daily opportunity to explore moral as well as spiritual questions within assemblies and tutor-group based discussions.

At Emmanuel tradition sits side by side with state of the art equipment that supports our areas of specialism. Yet we understand that children who join us at age eleven often have yet to discover where their abilities lie. Our curriculum is therefore broad as well as deep, with a longer working day that allows us to place as much emphasis on the arts as on the sciences. We understand that each student is an individual, with individual strengths and aspirations, and we have a responsibility to encourage each student to discover, explore and develop their own unique talents.

Thank you for your interest in our school. If you are visiting for the first time I invite you to discover more about Emmanuel and the people who study and work here by exploring this site, or by visiting us in person.

Jonathan Winch