Alton School

ETHOS, VALUES AND AIMS

Our aims are clear and well established.

 

All children and adults:

  • are safe
  • are excellent learners
  • have excellent social and emotional skills
  • achieve and succeed
     

All children and adults are safe


The physical, emotional, mental safety of our community comes first.

Where we are not safe or do not feel safe, we cannot learn or work.

We ensure:

  • a physically safe environment for all
  • a range of support for wellbeing including emotional and mental health
  • safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone

 

All children and adults are excellent learners


We all share a clear, shared language and understanding of what it means to be an excellent learner. We dedicate time to developing excellent learning attitudes and recognise the importance of a positive mindset. 

We welcome the challenge and messiness in learning where asking questions and making mistakes is a necessary part of learning process. We encourage the resilience in 'not giving up',  the drive to 'want to learn more' and embrace new ways of approaching learning and encourage creativity in our learners. 

We use co-operative learning structures to develop collaboration and the confidence to 'learn with others'. We recognise the importance of independent learning and how it develops through listening, practice, organisation and personal commitment to improvement. 

 

All children and adults have excellent social and emotional skills


We strive to be excellent communicators. We want all to:

  • understand and be understood
  • communicate their needs and feelings effectively
  • be successful in all their interactions
  • see excellent communication skills modelled in adults
  • make effective choices of language and vocabulary
  • use body language, gesture and tone effectively
  • develop control of their ‘register’ for different audiences, purposes and contexts

 

All children and adults achieve and succeed


Our children’s success and achievement happens when our teachers achieve and succeed.

In our learning and curriculum development for all areas we ensure we follow our mantra so we:

  • know where we are going
  • have excellent people
  • know what to do
  • know why we are doing the job
  • have excellent skills to do the job
  • have excellent resources to do the job
  • do the job with excellence
  • monitor evaluate and improve

 

We have:

  • shared expectations of teachers and children that all can and will achieve
  • clearly articulated shared aims and values
  • clear curriculum expectations, subject overviews, plans and tools
  • excellent shared resources
  • high-quality training and support
  • time to discuss pedagogy and work collaboratively
  • a shared commitment to a relentless drive for improvement, excellence and equality

Article Image