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Vision, Values, Ethos & Mission

A statement on our schools ethos and values.

St Patrick’s is a welcoming school with friendly, supportive and hardworking staff.   

Our school is a fantastic place to learn, achieve and thrive and it is our pupils who make our school special. Our pupils continually make us proud with their positive attitude towards their learning, their willingness and ambition to do well, their enthusiasm when faced with new challenges and the way they treat each other with care and respect. They really are a credit to our school.   

Our parents and families are very important to us, too, and we highly value the support they consistently give to their children and our school community. 

We believe that all children, with the right level of support and challenge, can achieve well.  Here at St. Patrick’s, we take into account the needs of each individual pupil and balance this with the collective needs of our school community.  We have the highest expectations regarding every member of our school family and we provide relevant and rich learning experiences which allow children to succeed. 

Education is exciting! It is constantly changing and evolving.  It challenges everyone involved to think critically and creatively to ensure, as a school, we provide learning experiences which are of the highest standard possible. 

We encourage children not to fear but to value mistakes.  It is mistakes, after all, which provide the best learning opportunities.  We expect our pupils to take responsibility for their own learning – right from the start of their journey in Reception Class.   

Gospel values underpin our work.  In our school community, we strive to ‘Follow in Christ’s Footsteps’. We use the teachings of Christ as an example of how to develop relationships rooted in fairness, compassion and tolerance.  We our very proud of our heritage and our school caters for, and warmly welcomes, Catholic children and children of other faiths.  This makes St. Patrick’s a diverse school community where all children are respected and treated equally. 

We know we will only achieve the best results possible for each child by working with you: parents and carers.  When home and school work collaboratively, there will be a significant impact on the progress of our pupils.  

Together, we make St. Patrick’s a positive place for your child.  We will provide a space to laugh, and yes, perhaps to cry on occasion, make friends and deal with times friendships are challenged.  We will teach your child to value our world and understand the important place they hold within it.

British Values

Schools, through their curriculum, are legally bound to teach and promote fundamental British values. These are values that have been attributed, by the government, to being British. They fall into the following broad areas.

  • Democracy- Respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process.
  • The Rule of Law- Respect for the basis on which the law is made and applies in England.
  • Individual Liberty- Support and respect for the liberties of all within the law.
  • Tolerance and Respect- Respect for and tolerance of different faiths and religions and other beliefs.

At St. Patrick’s, we reflect British values in all that we do. We actively promote these values in the following ways:

Democracy

  • Provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services through discussion within curriculum work.
  • Teach pupils how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process through our well established School Council.
  • Include in the curriculum information on the advantages and disadvantages of democracy and how it works in Britain.
  • Encourage pupils to become involved in decision-making processes and ensure they are listened to in school. Pupil voice is very strong in our school and children all have a say through the channels of the School Council.
  • Organise visits to the local democratic establishments and visits from local politicians.
  • Hold ‘mock elections’ so pupils learn how to argue and defend points of view. Our elections for representatives for the School Council are run very professionally by the pupils!
  • Help pupils to express their views.
  • Model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged.

The Rule of Law

  • Ensure school rules and expectations are clear and fair. School and classroom rules and expectations are established with pupils.
  • Help pupils to distinguish right from wrong
  • Help pupils to respect the law and the basis on which it is made
  • Help pupils to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals
  • Include visits from the police in the curriculum. Visits from Community Police Officers, their dogs and demonstrations from the Fire Service feature in our school calendar.
  • Teach pupils aspects of both civil and criminal law and discuss how this might differ from some religious laws
  • Develop restorative justice approaches to resolve conflicts

Individual Liberty

  • Support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence through all interactions with pupils
  • Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights
  • Model freedom of speech through pupil participation, while ensuring protection of vulnerable pupils and promoting critical analysis of evidence
  • Challenge stereotypes through SMSC / PHSE work and assemblies
  • Implement a strong anti-bullying culture

Respect and Tolerance

  • Promote respect for individual differences
  • Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life through curriculum work in religious education and circle time.
  • Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
  • Organise visits to places of worship through our religious education work
  • Develop links with faith communities
  • Develop critical personal thinking skills throughout our curriculum work
  • Discuss differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations, such as looked-after children or young carers

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Updated | 9th January, 2024 |

Latest News

Extended Wraparound Care

From Monday 15th April 2024 we will offer extended wraparound care from 7.40am until 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 5.15pm on a Friday. Please book your child’s place in advance via their Arbor account. Contact the school office via email or in app message if you would like any assistance with making a booking.

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