At Bishop Ridley, compassion is central to how we live out our vision: One Community, Learning & Growing Together, Sharing the Love of God. To show compassion means to notice when someone is struggling and to respond with kindness, care and understanding.

Walking in Another Person’s Shoes

At Bishop Ridley, we teach children that compassion means seeing life from someone else’s point of view. We learn to:

• Imagine how others might be feeling, even if their experience is different from ours.

• Listen carefully to others, valuing their thoughts and stories.

• Offer help and encouragement when we see someone struggling.

• Treat everyone with dignity and respect, whether they are our friends, teachers, family or strangers.

How Compassion Shapes Our Community

• Children are encouraged to think about how their words and actions affect others.

• Staff model compassion by responding with patience, care and empathy.

• As a school, we support charities and causes that make a difference to people’s lives locally and globally.

• We remind one another that compassion reflects the love of God, who Christian's believe knows us and walks with us always.

By showing compassion, we help to build a school where everyone feels valued and cared for — a place where God’s love is shared in practical ways.

What The Bible Teaches Us About Compassion

Jesus often showed compassion by reaching out to people who were overlooked or in need. He encourages us to do the same:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” — Matthew 5:7

These verses remind us that compassion is about more than feeling sorry for someone — it is about acting with love, mercy and understanding.