The founder of Scotland’s first “classical Christian school” says it teaches “important virtues that are increasingly lost in our culture”.
Doxa Theo Christian School is located at Grace Baptist Church Aberdeen in Woodside,
It opened its doors to primary pupils in January and already has seven enrolled.
Further applications to enrol children at the new school – which currently has a capacity of 15 – have already been received.
There are aims to refurbish the building to allow for a capacity of 45 pupils in the years to come.
Registered with Education Scotland, the school was founded by Grace Baptist Church pastor John-William Noble.
Its chairman is John Noble, a former headteacher of Fraserburgh Academy.
“He’s been instrumental in helping and aiding the strength and rigor of our curriculum that’s been formed,” the church pastor said.
Billed as a “classical Christian school”, what does it teach pupils?
According to its website, its values are “founded on the conviction that children should be brought up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).
“It is our aim to support, uphold and apply the Biblical instructions to fathers and mothers in this responsibility of raising their children.”
The foundation for the school’s curriculum and the governing worldview is the Bible.
Aberdeen Christian school teaches pupils to reason and argue
Speaking to The Press and Journal, John-William Noble said: “A key thing that we’re seeking to do is equipping children with the knowledge and the way by which they learn in the early formative years and then beginning to train them how to think, to reason and argue.”
He says that people, including the Ancient Greeks and Romans, were “historically” educated in this “tried and tested way” and is “communicating a foundation based on absolute truth”.
“We’re a Christian school, so we’re being governed by a worldview that we believe has been defined by God.
He thinks these “important virtues” can help to attain higher academic excellence and lead to a high standard of attainment, including for behaviour.
To join the school, parents do not have to be members of the affiliated church or be Christian.
However, they must sign up to Doxa Theo’s constitution.
In it, it states: “Our school adheres to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. Nothing will be taught that is contrary to this.”
“Parents are signing (the constitution) and agreeing that’s what their children would be being taught and the values ethos of the school.
“So if they’re signing and agreeing to that, then we would welcome them in the school,” the pastor said.
‘Positive feedback’ from Doxa Theo pupils
Of the current seven pupils, who are of primary school age, not all attend Grace Baptist Church, however, a “big emphasis” is that the school’s leaders want there to be a “strong connection” between the staff, parents and any churches they are part of.
Costing £2,000 per year for a student (with an added discount on ones from the same family), Mr Noble said there has been “positive feedback” from the pupils, with parents also said to be “very happy” with the setup.
“The staff and children have all been very positive about this term,” he added.
Due to the school’s low number of pupils, there is only one teacher employed at Doxa Theo, former St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary School educator Jehian Tiley.
Described as a “passionate and committed young teacher”, bosses believe he will “drive the school forward”.
And driving the school forward is something the pastor is very passionate about.
It could even become a secondary school in the future, although, Mr Noble said this depends on “how quickly the school can grow”.
Church move planned for May
However, moving fast in a short space of time is something Grace Baptist Church Aberdeen is used to.
The church started in 2019, however, last year they purchased the Woodside Parish Church building on Church Street.
They want to move there this May.
Moving across Great Northern Road will see churchgoers no longer share a space with the school. The pastor admits that they have “grown a lot” in the past six years.
Regardless of how many pupils enroll or if it expands, Doxa Theo Christian School’s main aim is to achieve “excellence and Biblical rigour to the Glory of God”.
Conversation