'Inspired to be the best that I can be'

#thebestme

At The Vaynor First School the children are at the heart of all that we do.  We want the very best for every child in our care, ensuring that no child gets left behind: socially & emotionally; morally or academically.  As a school we want our children to feel a true sense of belonging, confidence to have a voice and be themselves, and a clear understanding of how valued their place is within it.

Our motto ‘‘Inspired to be the best that I can be”, encapsulates our vision for our children.  By building independence, resilience and confidence, our children learn and progress towards their very best self, taking pride in all they do.

As a school we want each one of our children to have ambition.  For them to continually seek ways of improving in order to achieve success and to enable them to grow as aspirational members of our community, country and the wider world in which they live. 

We want our children to enjoy, be inspired by and show compassion, kindness and respect for one another and the world around them.

AIMS

Our vision is supported through our aims:

• To prepare our children to be the best they can be by inspiring within them a passion and purpose for learning that will continue throughout their lives.

• To provide each child a sense of belonging and instil within them shared values and a strong moral purpose.

• To provide aspiration for all, to enable our children to grow as citizens of our community and country and the wider world in which they live.

• To develop thinking and enquiring minds with a spirit of curiosity.

• To provide a broad and balanced curriculum that stimulates and challenges pupils to enable them to acquire and apply knowledge, skills and understanding relevant to life in the 21st Century.

• To provide a happy, caring and secure environment which nurtures children so that they can enjoy and thrive in both their learning, physical, social, emotional and moral development. 

• To create an atmosphere of honesty and mutual respect, in which everyone is valued as an individual.   

• To provide children with the skills to develop a healthy body, mind and soul to build resilience within them and provide them with strategies to overcome any challenges that they may face.

• To develop children’s understanding and consideration for the ideas, attitudes, values, beliefs and feelings of others.

• To foster within our children compassion and respect for one another, to enable them to operate effectively as citizens of our country and the world around them and ensure that they are culturally and environmentally aware.

• To build strong collaborative partnerships with families and the local community

• Prepare them well for the next stage of their educational journey.

Our children know these aims as:

• To do my very best each day
• To be proud of myself and the choices I make
• To be a great learner by using my superpowers
• To value each other and our world
• To have a healthy body and mind to face any challenge

Through our shared culture and values, our aim is to educate the whole child and develop successful, well-rounded, healthy and happy individuals, who will have the skills and abilities to operate effectively as citizens of our country and the wider world in which they live. 

CORE VALUES 

Central to everything that we do are our 5 core values, these core principles were decided upon through our class and school council, who believed that these were what made our school so special.  We expect every member of our school community to demonstrate them and they are embedded throughout our curriculum.  They are:

• Honesty - being true to yourself and inspiring trust in others

This value ensures a strong sense of moral values, right & wrong, integrity of character

• Respect - for yourself, each another and our environment

This value focuses on developing tolerance through everyone valuing themselves, celebrating diversity & difference in their relationships, their interactions and their learning.

• Kindness - showing consideration, compassion and empathy to others

This value develops an understanding of how our actions impact on others.  It is also referred to as compassion in the context of our curriculum and is used in reference to the community and our environment.

• Forgiveness - choosing to let go of wrong things that have been done to you

This value enables children to see that they have a choice to move beyond the hurt and what has made them feel bad about themselves on the inside and affected their wellbeing.  It helps them to understand that forgiveness takes courage and strength and can cause you not to trust. 

• Happiness -  enjoying learning and feeling positive about myself and others

The value of happiness is a fundamental building block, which influences a child’s behaviours, choices and emotions. It has positive effects on memory and the brain's ability to learn. It is key to health, relationships, a child’s ability to perform, to think and to create. We believe that children achieve their best if they are happy at school. By listening and valuing their well-being we encourage a sense of community, support and compassion.