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People who have the means to shape their own life well

OURSELVES 
‘People who have the means to shape their own life well’ 
We are committed to:- 
moving forward together, ensuring everyone in our mixed community is participating and no one is left behind; as Christopher Robin once said ‘You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart, I’ll always be with you.’  -A.A. Milne  

Everyone would say, ‘We are all important but no more important than anyone else.’ 

We look to consider how Jesus encountered people- often people on the fringe, on the periphery of society- how he showed compassion towards (the face of God)- how he challenged injustice; accepted and appreciated difference. Following the lead of Jesus, we strive to lift up vulnerable people with dignity so that they can shine brightly alongside everyone and work towards being the most perfect version of themselves. John 10:10 guides us in this. 

We talk of people being more or less experienced as opposed to more or less able.Except for the rarest of child, we are all born with the same capacity to learn.’ –Mark McCourt 

We tell our children to ‘Have Faith’ 

We begin with the hypothesis that any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development’ –Jerome Bruner.  

We revisit the Parable of the Lost Sheep 

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- mixed prior attainment groups, talk partners,  

● …but fascinated by the individual 

the vision assumes a deep rooted faith in humanity and the vision expects fascination with the individual, with ourselves, with others- ‘every individual carries within himself not only his individuality but also all of humanity with all its potentialities.’ Erich Fromm  

We look to follow Jesus’s command to ‘Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’ 

We revisit the Parable of the Lost Coin 

The same things which are helps to one person towards cultivation of his higher nature, are hindrances to another….Such are the differences among human beings…that unless there is a corresponding diversity in their modes of life, they neither obtain their fair share of happiness, nor grow up to the mental, moral and aesthetic stature of which their nature is capable.’ -John Stuart Mill.  

We tell the children they are important but no more important than anyone else. They are unique- there is no one else quite like them in the world/ there has been anyone else quite like them in all the history of the world and there never will be. 

‘There’s more than one way  

To look at something,’ said Davey, adding, 

‘I know you think i’m different ,  

Unique, special, individual…’ 

…Davey grinned, ‘Well I’m glad. 

The worse thing in the world- 

No, the worse thing in the universe 

Would be to look and walk and talk  

And think like everyone else.’  

from ‘Cloud Busting’ by Malorie Blackman  

Policy and practice that epitomise this: our Relationships Policy looks for us to stay responsive to individual needs and strengths 

aiming for self-empowerment 

Ultimately we believe education itself should be about self-empowerment for people, self-empowerment now and for a lifetime. We define education here in its most literal and fundamental sense of ‘e-ducere’ meaning ‘to bring out’ that which is in all of us. 

‘Whatever an education is, it should make you a unique individual, not a conformist; it should furnish you with an original spirit with which to tackle the big challenges. It should allow you to find values which will be your road map through life; it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whomever you are with; it should teach you what is important, how to live and how to die’ -John Taylor Gatto. We therefore cannot apply a ‘one size fits all’ mindset. We will instead remain responsive to the individual. 

the vision assumes a deep rooted faith in humanity and the vision expects fascination with the individual, with ourselves, with others. ‘…every individual carries within himself not only his individuality but also all of humanity with all its potentialities.’ Erich Fromm  

…it follows that it has to be about all of us, adults and children alike…we are conspicuously child- centric when making decisions about the education we offer but as a community we are people- centric.  

…our starting assumption is that we are all born with a desire for knowledge and we must do everything we can, as a primary school, to maintain and nurture that desire as well as offer pupils the opportunity to think beyond their own experiences and enable them ‘to think the unthinkable and not yet thought…’ Bernstein, 2000. 

‘The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.’ –Plutarch. We are excited by what our pupils bring to the table and wary of talking too much, of losing their voice as learners. Where possible we would like a learning process which engages both adults and pupils in partnership.  ‘We can never put ourselves in the shoes of children; we cannot fathom their thoughts, we lend them ours; and always following our own reasoning, we stuff their heads with extravagance and error.’ -Rousseau 

… it follows that we believe everyone has something to offer… that therefore one size does not fit all. “It’s not how smart you are that matters, what really counts is how you are smart” –H. Gardiner 

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- Relationships Policy 

staying ‘present focused  

‘Life is always now. Your entire life unfolds in this constant Now. Even past and present moments only exist when you remember or anticipate them and you do so by thinking about them in the only moment there is: this one’ Eckhart Tolle 

The vision is framed in the present: the premise being that if we want to make the world a better place, we need to start right here, right now…with the people and the resources we have in front of us; ‘Education is the process of living and is not meant [solely] to be the preparation of future living’ Dewey 1897 

We might refer to Mathew 6:34: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.’ How might education be received by children if the long term promise was not employment but a fulfilling life? And if that promise was not held as a long term goal but started now- our fulfilling life started in the here and now?’ –Debra Kidd, 2014. We like to imagine how the present could impact on people in 5, 10, 15 years’ time – we want our school to be a ‘life-long learning incubator.’ The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning. ‘We can combine the needs of the future and the present by very simply giving children an education that they love now, in which they thrive now… in which they become happy, articulate, resilient, agentive people with the capacity to embrace whatever future they eventually inhabit’ Debra Kidd, 2014. 

Policy and practice that epitomise this: the teaching of mindfulness 

avoiding unnecessary comparisons- avoiding winners and losers, ensuring those who are less school sure do not feel less in themselves-‘If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself’ Max Ehrmann to a sense of self-worth unconnected to what we produce, unconnected to success, recognition and approval. 

We revisit the Parable of the Rich Man and the Widow 

‘The plain fact is the planet does not need more ‘successful people’. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it.’ –Benjamin Orr 

We would all advise, DON’T COMPARE yourselves to other people.’ 

… instead to nurture courage and humility; to recognise strength and appreciate variety, appreciate differences…to be fascinated by other people. We might refer to Ezra 10:4 ‘Rise up take courage and do it.’ 

feeling enough 

We try to maintain the impression that it is enough, I am enough, we are enough 

‘Any man he says who does not think that what he has is ample is an unhappy man, even if he is master of the whole world.’ Seneca 

We revisit the Parable of the Lost Sheep 

We smother our secret fears of impermanence by surrounding ourselves with more and more….all our time and energy is exhausted simply maintaining them.’ Tibetan Book of Living and Dying 

We stress all the time that it is all about learning- we are all learning, we never stop learning. 

“A lot of scientific evidence suggests that the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is not the brains they were born with, but their approach to life, the messages they receive about their potential, and the opportunities they have to learn.”― Jo Boaler. 

building on our strengths rather than comparing ourselves with others. 

We might refer to Mathew 5:16 ‘In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds.’ 

We recognise everyone has strengths and the best way forward involves building on these. 

Adults would say, ‘We look to find what is great inside all of our children: we want to dig it out and share it with the world.’  

To the children we might say ‘We are all unique…there has never been anyone like us nor will there be anyone like us in the future.’ 

‘In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening. So rather than thinking, oh, I’m going to reveal my weaknesses, you say, wow, here’s a chance to grow’ Carol S. Dweck 

We carry out psychological strengths assessments on children   

‘If you focus on people’s weaknesses, they lose confidence. At a very basic level it is very hard for us to build self-confidence when we are focused on our weaknesses instead of our strengths’ Rath and Conchie. 

In our attitude towards learning 4P’s we aim for Pride in what we do  

‘When we take time to notice the things that go right – it means we’re getting a lot of little rewards throughout the day.’ Martin Seligman 

We revisit the Parable of the Talents 

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- Signature Strengths assessments;  

becoming self aware- helping children to know themselves; to know their feelings and be true to them, to know their thoughts and be able to marshall them. 

We teach the children about feelings and how to express them. We use Zones of Regulation 

“I shall no longer be instructed by the Yoga Veda or the Aharva Veda, or the ascetics, or any other doctrine whatsoever. I shall learn from myself, be a pupil of myself; I shall get to know myself, the mystery of Siddhartha.” He looked around as if he were seeing the world for the first time.”― Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha 

true knowledge of oneself and others liberates man and is conducive to his wellbeing.’  

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- ELSA; Zones of Regulation; pupil written reports 

accepting we will all make mistakes – forgiving ourselves and others for these mistakes; knowing that mistakes are an opportunity to learn.  

We tell the children Try Forgiveness 

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”- Rumi 

We revisit the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant 

‘..I doubt i’ll ever be certain of anything ever again- perhaps other than my own capacity to be stunningly wrong.’ D McGarvey 

We encourage children to forgive others who have wronged them. 

What is the contemplative life ‘to fall down and get back up..to fall down and get back up..to fall down and get back up.’ St Benedict- 

We revisit the Parable of the Prodigal Son 

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates closest friends Proverbs 17:9. 

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- Growth Mindset in our pedagogy 

aiming for maximum impact early on because a divergence in pupils’ life chances happens early; ref Why Love Matters by Susan Gerhardt  

‘The firing gun of the educational arms race begins well before children’s first day in school: whatever solutions we have for improving school mobility will need to act outside as well as inside the school gates and before school has even started.’ Major & Machin 2018 

We have helped start Minchkins- a toddler group 

‘The stuff that goes on in little children’s heads between the ages of 0 and 11 is absolutely decisive.’ Alain De Botton 

see https://www.minchacademy.net/our-vision-and-values/ –Behind the Scenes  6. Nursery 

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- Minchkins 

using wisdom to solve problems; to help us respond well when things go wrong; when we are faced with risk, uncertainty and emotional exposure; and help give us a sense of renewal and hope; We all say we learn from our mistakes 

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 

We tell our children Always Persevere 

Wisdom needs to be the fulcrum of the curriculum – including knowledge with compassion, with the understanding of multiple perspectives and the ability to see unintended consequences. 

We say to our children Rise to the Challenge 

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything James 1:4 

In our attitude towards learning 4P’s we aim for Perseverance 

● we accept this is a long and difficult journey for us all – we look to concern ourselves not with the destination but with the act of walking in the right direction, in hope. ‘If the way which, as I have shown, leads hither seems very difficult, it can nevertheless be found. It must indeed be difficult since it is so seldom discovered, for if salvation lay ready to hand, how could it be possible that it should be neglected by almost everybody. But all noble things are as difficult as they are rare.’ Spinoza – Ethics 

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- Restorative Conversations 

Tapping into our natural creativity  

“Where I create, there I am true…” Rainer Maria Rilke–  

We would say we all know we are unique. 

Creativity not as a gimmick in a bid to engage children, instead creativity as the making of links, as being truly responsive….as being flexible to allow for constant ongoing adjustment of plans based on ongoing formative assessment close to the coal face.  

‘A curriculum geared to the needs of the learner requires of the teacher an enormous amount of flexibility, a high tolerance for unpredictability, and a willingness to give up absolute control of the classroom.’ A Cohen 

● We encourage children to have a go- we might say, ‘Do something only you would come up with- that none of your friends or family would think of.’ Mark Runco We celebrate originality. 

We might say, ‘This could be the first time anyone has ever done it this way.’  

A fearless approach that embraces risk and possible failure. 

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- ‘responsiveness’ at the heart of our pedagogy 

leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle and developing all round confidence; 

We have a strong commitment to sport 

 ‘There is an Indian proverb or axiom that says that everyone is a house with four rooms, a physical, a mental, an emotional and a spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time but, unless we go into every room every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person.’ Rumer Godden, A House with Four Rooms 

Policy and practice that epitomise this:- The Great Plate catering; full time coach 

and adopting a collaborative approach, recognising we are often better together: balanced carefully with opportunities for independence, self-reflection and healthy competition. 

Love your neighbour as yourself. 

‘Collaboration is about helping people work together to achieve an outcome that could not be achieved by an individual.’― Michael Cohen 

A survey in 2008 by Gensler concluded that the best companies spend 23% more time collaborating, 40 % more time learning and 16% more time socialising than average companies. Open conversations are the underpinning of these companies’ gospel. This is the essence of synergy- the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’  

We use Talk Partners in school 

‘I like having a talk partner who can help me if I get stuck, and I can help if they get stuck. The talk partner system is great because you get to know what they are like to work with.’ –Pupil self-report 2020 

 

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