THE ETHOS and VALUES

OF

Dr. Radcliffe's Church of England Primary School

Our ethos, as defined in the original Instrument of Governance is:

Recognising its historic foundation, the school will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the church at parish and diocesan level. The school aims to serve the community by providing education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers all pupils.

Distinctiveness Statement

We believe that every person is unique and valued by God. Dr Radcliffe’s is a place where each and every individual is supported and encouraged to ‘live life in all its fullness.’ Through our Christian values of compassion, friendship, forgiveness, respect, truthfulness and trust we aim to create a welcoming community where all can flourish.

Our Christian values are:

Respect Truthfulness Friendship Compassion Forgiveness Trust

Our School aims to create an educational environment in which every individual in the school community is valued and can develop.

As a Church of England school, Christian values underpin our attitudes and actions.

1. We have a strong commitment to the spiritual development of each child in every aspect of school life. There is a daily act of collective worship, which reflects and develops our Christian values through the year.  We are committed to excellence in the teaching of religious education.

2. We are an inclusive school, where all children and staff are valued and encouraged to be the best they can be, caring for the needs of each individual.

3. We treat every member of our community fairly and with respect. We celebrate difference and diversity, building a welcoming community where all can work together.

4. We seek to give all our children confidence, self-discipline and self-esteem which will enable them to succeed in the next phase of their education and in adult life.

5. We strive constantly to raise levels of achievement and to be a school where children feel happy and secure, where they are encouraged to build resilience, work hard and take an interest in all we offer.

6. We provide our children with a broad and enriched curriculum promoting high academic standards whilst developing physical skills and supporting emotional well-being.

7. Literacy, numeracy, computing and scientific understanding are valued highly as skills to be mastered for fulfilment in life.

8. We encourage pupils to take pride and pleasure in learning, to develop lively, enquiring minds.

9. We promote and celebrate all forms of self-expression including art, drama, music and sport.

10. Through our Christian values, we aim to foster in children an inner strength, confidence and personal spiritual growth, enabling our children to serve and contribute to a better, more caring peaceful world.

11. Parents are involved in all aspects of school life, including their children’s behaviour and achievements.

12. We are open and approachable, welcoming the participation of all stakeholders, valuing dialogue and building relationships.

Our school is a focus for the communal life of the village communities which we serve, and we welcome those close links and involvement.  Staff, governors, pupils and their families all make a considerable commitment to the school and the breadth of our pupils' education is offered to provide the foundation for their future in our community.