Ethos, Vision and Values
Our School Vision
At Barley Hill Primary School we have a culture that places the child at the centre – We care about each other, our learning and the world around us. As a values-based school, our vision statement is Educating the whole child, achieved through an inclusive and supportive ethos, with kindness and community at the heart of our provision.' We believe that all children are entitled to an education that will enable them to realise their full potential. Every child should love learning and relish challenge, working collaboratively and positively with others to achieve their goals.
Our School Values
The children of Barley Hill Primary School have been integral in identifying six core values that underpin our school ethos. They are:
- Resilience
- Respect
- Collaboration
- Responsibility
- Reflection
- Ambition
Through a streamlined values offer, we can allow for progression within the values curriculum and a more secure understanding and knowledge of what they are. This is valuing the development of the whole child and ensuring children leave Barley Hill as responsible citizens prepared for the next phase of their education.
Within the teaching of each value, children will learn about a key role model who has demonstrated the value in their life. These role models are explored on a 2 year cycle.
| Value | Role Model (cycle 1) | Role Model (cycle 2) |
| Resilience | Nelson Mandela | Malala Yousafzai |
| Respect | Aretha Franklin | David Attenborough |
| Collaboration | Neil Armstrong | Marie Curie |
| Responsibility | Greta Thunberg | Sir Alexander Fleming |
| Reflection | Marcus Rashford | Floella Benjamin |
| Ambition | Amelia Earhart | Billy Monger |
British Values
At Barley Hill Primary School, we actively promote British values through our school vision, ethos, agreed rules, curriculum, and teaching. As such, we promote tolerance of, and respect for, people of all faiths (or those with no faith), cultures, and lifestyles.
We prepare children and young people positively for life in modern Britain by supporting them through our words, actions, and influence, not just within school, but also within the wider community.
Promoting Our Values
The government defines British values as:
- Democracy.
- Rule of law.
- Individual liberty.
- Mutual respect.
- Tolerance of those of different faiths.
At Barley Hill Primary School, we value the diverse ethnic backgrounds of all pupils and families and undertake a variety of events and lessons to celebrate these. We have found this approach to be enriching for all parties as it teaches tolerance and respect for the differences in our community and the wider world. We actively challenge children, staff, and parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views.
Behaviour
Relationships are at the heart of our provision with the success of our school community built upon mutual respect between pupils and staff. To enable all children to thrive in our learning environment, we hold strong expectations regarding demonstrating our school behaviour principles, to ensure high standards are maintained and all children can learn and flourish.
Our three behaviour principles, in all classes, are Ready, Respectful, Safe – These principles underpin expectations of behaviour of all members of our school community and are the overarching principles we believe are integral to establishing a learning environment where we can focus on our core duty of educating your child. This language is an innate phrase in school, with an expectation that all children can recite and adhere to our three behaviour principles.
A clear, stages approach, is shared with the children outlining how staff can support them in ensuring their behaviour reflects Ready, Respectful, Safe expectations, ranging from a reminder at Stage One, to working in an alternative class at Stage Four to finally Stage Eight, where Senior Leaders will work with the pupil and liaise with parents, regarding their conduct.
At every stage, there is an opportunity for reflection, alongside restorative conversations and opportunity to consider choices that have been made, in order to inform future conduct.
All children have a right to be educated in a calm and safe environment, where every minute is a learning minute, and every child thrives from their relative starting point. It is our belief that the three principles we have identified, alongside a graduated response to pupil choices, will enable us to achieve this right for every member of our school community.
