Celebrating Achievement

At Epping St. John’s School, students are freed to succeed within an environment of hope, dignity, respect and the very highest expectations. We constantly strive to:

•             Recognise and celebrate student achievement in all it's forms

•             Encourage the pursuit of excellence

•             Encourage resilience

•             Encourage self-belief

•             Encourage students to be Aspirational, Courageous and Exceptional.

RECOGNITION AND REWARDS – ACE (ASPIRATIONAL, COURAGEOUS AND SUCCEED) REWARD SYSTEM.

Students at ESJ have opportunities to achieve ACE points through various avenues like participation in activities in and out of the classroom, good attendance, participation in extracurricular activities, representing the school in different events, various acts of kindness, hard work, good work, good behaviour etc.

Every time a student achieves ACE points, they will earn points towards a prize. We have created a very rich reward system, which will encourage our students to put in take pride in their work and status as an ESJ student and develop a strong work ethic. Students will be rewarded with ACE points, which can earn them some of the following rewards: 

• Confectionary
• Stationery
• ESJ one-week canteen FASTRACK
• Football / basketball 
• Trips
• Other rewards

Once a term they can cash these points in for prizes or they can decide to roll over their ACE points to the next term to earn bigger prizes. ACE points can also be used towards trips.

Pupils who achieve a high number of ACE points are given the opportunity to participate in reward trips and experiences to celebrate their achievement. Achievement celebrations also take place during celebration assemblies and end of year whole school celebration event.

THE HOUSE SYSTEM

The House System is an integral part of the history and heritage of our school because it commemorates ex-service men and women who lost their lives in battle. It adds to the sense of belonging that ESJ students already feel and also creates healthy positive competition between the House groups. 

We hope that through these role models, a strong sense of pride will be fostered in pupils, inspiring them to embody the core values of ESJ. As part of this, all house groups are asked to deliver assemblies on their own House, what it means to belong to that House and their House name. We also run house competitions and House events.

Victor Adams was born in Epping, enlisted into the Royal Engineers in London in March 1915 as a Shoeing Smith and was posted to Ireland. He went to France on the 5th October the same year and died of pneumonia there in April 1916.

Horace Barker enlisted in the Mercantile Marine and became an Apprentice Deck Boy on the SS Windsor Hall, a defensively armed merchantman ship. On 17th January 1918 the Windsor Hall was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship’s Captain was taken prisoner, but Horace Barker was one of 27 crew members who lost their lives. He was presumed to have been drowned. At just 15 years of age he was the youngest of Epping’s war dead.

Joan Hurley joined the Women’s Auxiliary Police during the Second World War and helped keep the town safe in absence of the regular Police force. She fought hard against mistreatment of children and paved the way for other women constables in the area. 

Joyce (Raggett) lived in Epping Forest for 56 years; she helped greatly during the war effort over a period of 6 years by carving and designing what were rumoured to be the best and fastest planes that the British had. Without her work, many planes would have been unable to fly and fight – her work was invaluable, and likely saved numerous lives.

Georgie Sparks came from Epping, joined the Royal Marines in June 2006, passing out from training in July 2007 and joining 42 Commando a few days later. During his time at 42 Commando he qualified as a sniper. In the course of his time in Afghanistan, he was wounded badly in an attack, and died soon after.

Walter Wright was born in Theydon Bois and later moved to Epping, joining the army four days before world war two was declared. Evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940, he returned to France soon after D-Day in charge of RASC workshop units, following the fighting through France, Belgium and Holland.