This is underpinned by our school Motto and core purpose:

Unlocking Potential

We are here to help our young people develop and maximize their life chances, impacting positively on themselves, their families and the wider community.

• To provide a curriculum that is broad, balanced and appropriate.
• To provide pupils with the skills to learn at their own individual level and realise their potential.
• To promote independence.
• To have tolerance and consideration for others.
• To provide an environment where pupils can take risks and develop good self-esteem.
• To provide pupils with the skills to take their place in the community and become citizens of the future.

Democracy:

Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our School Council and pupil questionnaires. The election of the head of school council as well as nominating and voting for Jack Petchey award winners occurs throughout the year. A school council models a ballot/election system to support their understanding of our election system once a year. School council representatives discuss with their classes and then vote on a variety of issues including our school nominated charities for the year.

The Rules of Law:

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. In the secondary phase of the school pupils start to learn about the value and reasons behind laws to help them understand that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police; Fire Service; etc. are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message. Our behaviour policy and school ethos supports the view that we need to take ownership of our own behaviour and understand its impact on others.

Individual Liberty:

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these carefully, for example through our E-Safety and lifeskills lessons. Whether it is through choice or challenge, how they record their work, or participation in our numerous extra curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.

Mutual Respect

Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around Core Values such as ‘Respect’, and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. Posters around the school promote respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning rules, as well as our behaviour policy.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:

This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and lifeskills. The school has multi-cultural days each year as well as a half termly RE day which focuses on a major faith and what this means for us personally and collectively. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.