Our Christian vision creates a culture in which pupils and adults are treated well
Our vision shows that we all matter and that light shines on us and through us. Jesus calls us to be like a candle held in God’s hands bringing light to the world. Every human being is precious and we consciously teach children to value one another.
Our school is calm, connected and caring. We begin and end each day by greeting each family, each child and each colleague.
| How do we make sure each person knows they are valued? |
Many small things make up showing children and all members of our community that they matter. Welcoming, listening, smiling, keeping them safe, disagreeing in a respectful way, forgiving, sharing, giving time, laughing and playing are all parts of a jigsaw puzzle that make up not only what we do but how we do it.
Our school is forunate to have an experienced Senior Mental Health lead as well as our school counsellor who supports individual children, their families and school staff.
Meaningful two way communication with our families matters to us all. We have many different ways in which members of our school community can link. Through Twitter, Seesaw, via our website and by using the SayHi app we are able to make sure that families and school are in all equally valued.
Most importantly, we take time to meet face to face and to get to know one another. In this way we build trust. This happens through involving parents in their child's learning, through a dedicated family space and through links to external organisations such as Active Families, Talk Community and Vennture.
| How do we teach children to be respectful towards one another? |
We have a clear system of behaviour based on the work of Paul Dix. It centres on adults modelling what ‘good’ behaviour looks like alongside simple rules for children to follow. Positivity notes are shared daily, weekly certificates link to our values and silver wrist bands celebrate the good choices that children make. Where reminders are needed they are given quietly and ways forward agreed. Where sanctions are needed children themselves often know this and choose to have some time out. This deliberate approach works because everyone believes in it and it meets the needs of our children.
The protected characteristics and equality are a thread running through our work with Rights Respecting Schools, with how we include children and how we challenge prejudicial behaviour and language. Together with our work in PSHE and RSE, through JIGSAW, children learn what prejudice is, that it is unacceptable and that if it does happen it will be challenged to ensure that it is not repeated.
| How do we keep children in safe? |
Keeping children safe through policies, what we teach and how we respond to needs is a strength of our school. Training is robust and our approach reviewed by the DHMAT’s safeguarding lead. We have strong relationships with parents, talk issues through and challenge decisions made by agencies where we feel they may not be the right ones for a child.
In practical ways we keep children safe through intensive swimming lessons, a clear programme of RSE, Bikeability, through involving our community support officers, regular e-safety learning and through developing children as leaders. Courageous advocacy, what we mean by that and what children want to achieve forms one of our weekly worship sessions. Enabling children to develop their self worth through speaking out about things that matter to them is an important way in which we also keep children safe. Children know that we want to hear from them, we want to share and we have confidence in them leading the way.
