Values Ethos and Vision at St Helens

St Helen's offers a range of educational opportunities within and beyond the classroom. We have high expectations that children will work hard in order to make good progress and we also expect parents to support this ethos.  Children build on their knowledge and skills as they progress through the school and their learning is tracked carefully to ensure that they are making good progress.  An appropriate and challenging learning experience is planned for every child with excellent teaching being central to all of our activities.  At all times we aim to create a classroom and school environment which encourages and stimulates learning and which nurtures social relationships. School is for everyone – for the quiet as well as the loud; for the shy as well as the confident; for the young as well as the old. We strive to ensure that each child has equal access to and equal opportunities in the learning process. We hope that the ethos of mutual understanding creates an environment in which all children can thrive. Indeed, our children are the greatest supporters and enforcers of this ethos and will insist that respect, tolerance and high expectations are maintained at all times.  
  
Our Vision Statements:

Our curriculum and ethos will

  • provide the knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding that will enable our pupils to “be the best they can be”
  • provide ‘irresistible’ learning activities and experiences both in and out of lesson time
  • prepare our pupils to live a healthy lifestyle and for a life of learning and work which is satisfying and worthwhile
  • widen horizons and deepen thinking
  • be aspirational and promote excellence in all areas
  • promote tolerance and understanding
  • give pupils dreams and develop the life skills they will need to reach them

 

Our staff will

  • keep our pupils at the centre of our decision making
  • promote high expectations for every pupil
  • provide the best quality teaching and learning
  • know and listen to our pupils
  • know, share and provide the next steps in learning for every pupil
  • make sure that every moment in school counts

 

Our school will

  • take the lead in training and recruiting the best teachers
  • be confident in our own ability to research, develop and innovate best practice
  • promote high expectations for our staff and community
  • work in partnership with our families and community to ensure our pupils are supported and ready for learning
  • act with energy and determination to ensure that every pupil thrives


Equality

St Helen's staff and governors are totally committed to promoting equity.  For us this means tackling the barriers that could lead to unequal outcomes and advancing equality of opportunity, fostering good relationships within and between groups and individuals and celebrating the diversity of our school community.
We believe that equity should permeate all aspects of school life and is the responsibility of every member of our school and wider community.  Every member of our school community should feel safe, secure, valued and of equal worth irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, disability, religious belief, faith tradition, sexual orientation, age or for any other characteristic that could make them more vulnerable than others.  
We strive to promote equity and, when we formed our policy, we created a working party of parents and governors to champion this.  Our Equalities Policy details how we intend to proceed and includes a plan of action.

Our Equality Objectives:
  1. Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimization
  2. Advance equality of opportunity
  3. Foster good relations across all characteristics