At Bishop Ridley, friendship is one of the values that helps us live out our vision: One Community, Learning & Growing Together, Sharing the Love of God. True friendship is about more than just spending time together — it is about loyalty, trust, kindness and helping one another to grow. Jesus showed friendship to people he met on mission, to his disciples and to those who he met as a teacher.

How We Live Out Friendship

At Bishop Ridley, friendship means:

• Treating others with kindness and respect, even when we disagree. We think about the Gold Rule (Luke 6:31), which is the bedrock for our school behaviour policy.

• Including those who might feel left out, so no one is alone.

• Encouraging and supporting our friends to do their best.

• Forgiving friends when mistakes are made, and starting again with a fresh heart.

Why Friendship Matters

• It creates a community where everyone feels they belong.

• It helps children to grow in confidence, knowing they are valued and supported.

• It reflects the love of God, who calls us His friends.

• It shows that together, as friends, we can share joy and overcome challenges.

Through friendship, we build a school where God’s love is shared in the way we care for and support one another.

What The Bible Teaches Us About Friendship

Jesus valued friendship and taught his disciples about the strength of love between friends. He also reminded us of the need for compassion in friendship:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10

The Bible also reminds us of the gift that friends bring:

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” — Proverbs 17:17

These verses show us that friendship is rooted in love, loyalty and a willingness to stand by each other in both good and difficult times.