Aims and Values
We work together as a school community to identify what we believe underpins our ethos here at Oaktree.
Oaktree’s Aims
Oaktree’s Aims
- To value, respect and encourage all members of the school community.
- To provide a safe, caring and happy school.
- To provide positive learning experiences in a nurturing environment.
- To provide a creative, dynamic curriculum allowing children to enjoy learning and achieve success.
- To involve all learners in the decision making of the school, enabling them to make a positive contribution now and in the future.
- To challenge and support learners to provide them with skills for a successful future.
- To develop learners’ understanding of self and others, enabling everyone to make positive, healthy choices.
- To promote effective working partnerships with parents, carers and the wider community.
Oaktree’s Values
- Be Optimistic
- Have Ambition
- Be Kind
- Be Truthful
- Be Resilient
- Have Empathy
- Show Equity
Our values are addressed and explored further each term in assembly.
BRITISH VALUES
BRITISH VALUES
The Department for Education state that there is a need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
At Oaktree Nursery and Primary School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy:
Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have a school council which meets regularly to discuss issues raised in class. The school council is able to genuinely effect change within the school. The council members for each year group are voted in by their class. All children are frequently given the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions on school improvement matters.
The Rule of Law:
The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty:
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through of provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our Online-safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect:
Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around our school values such as ‘Respect’, and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. These assemblies, PSHCE lessons and the values promote respect for others and this is reiterated through the work in the playground, classroom, learning skills and on the sports field, as well as our behaviour policy.
Tolerance of all:
Our whole school value of ‘Respect’ ensures tolerance of all members of the school community. This is achieved through enhancing pupils' understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. Members of different faiths or religions, including parents, are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.