Mission Statement

At Firwood Manor, we work alongside parents to inspire academic excellence, creativity and mutual respect, through the provision of a unique, exciting and happy environment, giving children a soaring belief in themselves as citizens of the 21st Century.

Aims

We aim:

• To foster a whole-child approach which will encompass the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, intellectual and physical development of each child.
• To nurture a love of learning and to develop a focused approach to work, enabling children to realise their potential.
• To help children to develop self-esteem and self-confidence and to recognise that they have a worthwhile contribution to make to the school.
• To give children a critical and constructive understanding of the environment.
• To encourage children to be independent, responsible and compassionate, so that they feel confident to enjoy the opportunities and challenges of secondary education.

We will achieve our aims through:

• The recognition that all children are unique individuals at differing stages of emotional, intellectual, physical, social and personal development.
• A rich, stimulating diverse and differentiated curriculum, of which the National Curriculum is a part, which encourages exploration, reflection and progression and which acknowledges the pupils’ individual needs as they develop.
• The provision of a meaningful context for learning experiences, in and out of the classroom, with a concomitant concentration on high expectations, on soaring self-belief and on learning skills and attitudes which will enable our children to use their own initiative, gradually taking responsibility for their own learning. These learning experiences will involve individual and collaborative work and will show an appreciation of the increasing impact of information and communication technology on learning and the nature of organisations.
• A close co-operation between home, school and the community
• The encouragement of a critical and constructive understanding of the environment.
• A physical environment which is pleasant, safe and attractive and seen as everyone’s responsibility to maintain and take pride in.
• A code of discipline based on positive behaviour where children receive praise and encouragement within a rigorous and consistent framework of what is expected of them.
• A friendly, secure atmosphere of trust, tolerance, co-operation, sensitivity, compassion and mutual respect, where individual beliefs and values are accepted and treated as equally valuable and where each person can grow, free from prejudice, negative stereotyping and bias, as a person and as a valued member of society.
• The encouragement of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-discipline, creativity and optimism.
• The encouragement of confidence to be able to freely express likes and dislikes
• An understanding that everyone is responsible for their own actions and the effects such actions have on others.
• The development of skills which will enable the children to become confident citizens of the 21st Century - to be good team-players, to solve problems, both academically and in their daily lives, to manage change, risk and uncertainty, to deal with success, failure, frustration, tension, competition, pressure, challenge, criticism, shyness and aggression.

Shared Principles

School life is based upon a set of principles which are closely aligned to the four GEMS Core Values of World Citizenship, Universal Values, Leadership Skills and Forward Thinking.

“The aim of education is not of facts but of values.” (William Ralph Inge)

Some of the biggest questions facing primary teachers concern moral and social development. How do we help children build the qualities and skills that lead to emotional and spiritual intelligence?

“Citizens of the 21st Century” (World Citizenship) - our children learn about the world and the people in it from an early age, developing an awareness of different cultures and countries. Our Humanities programme has been specially designed to enable our youngsters to gain an understanding and knowledge of the world, of some of the more significant countries and their role in the world and of the historical and religious perspectives, which have lead to a country’s particular development. Our pupils are also encouraged to develop awareness of sustainability and of their role in caring for our environment. By exploring the world in this way, the pupils become socially, culturally, economically, politically and environmentally aware, and will adopt a global perspective to better understand how they can make a difference in and communicate with the global community.

“A Place where Everyone Matters” (Universal Values) - our Values Programme helps youngsters develop values, principles and ethics that are respected, admired and accepted in all cultures around the world. Pupils are taught healthy social attitudes and a spirit of common humanity, providing the ethical foundations and social skills to guide them through life. A variety of activities and experiences based on the understanding of universal values help pupils to make positive contributions to others, their school and the community.

Our Behaviour Policy was not developed as a set of arbitrary rules but as a means of building an individual conscience and a strong inner life through example, discussion and encouragement.

Much of this discussion takes place in assemblies, when children are encouraged to consider their behaviour and to notice which actions bring about the best results for themselves and their community.

We feel that it is important that these discussions pervade the whole school throughout each day. As a result it has been decided to focus on a different positive value word each half term.

The word will be introduced and carefully considered during assembly times in the firm belief that consciousness can be raised to conscience. To further elevate consciousness, the words will be used in lessons and at other appropriate times during the course of the school day.

“Educating the Individual” – we all value and respect each other as individuals. We make a point of celebrating the achievements of every member of our school community.

The school is at the cutting edge of current research into learning and brain development. We recognise the importance of physical activity in relation to neuropsychological development. The children enjoy an exercise programme specifically designed to enhance brain development and visual and auditory processing. As part of our curriculum we have a progressive programme of thinking skills, which assists children to recognise their own particular characteristics as learners and then to understand and develop skills which enable them to become successful learners in our ever changing world.

“Your Child’s Route to Success” (Leadership Skills) - from Year 4, our youngsters learn about the qualities which are essential for success, and, throughout the school, our education programmes encourage our youngsters to explore and question, to seek solutions, make informed decisions and solve problems, to demonstrate tenacity, to express themselves confidently and to understand the importance of collaboration. We aim to develop each pupil’s own potential for leadership, either as a motivator of others or themselves, discovering and aspiring to one’s own special area of excellence.
At Firwood Manor we are SMART and SAVVY!!

“Celebrating Tomorrow by Creating Today” (Forward Thinking) - one of the aspects which sets our school apart from other schools is the fact that we always have an eye on the skills our children are going to need to be successful in our fast changing world and organise our curriculum accordingly. Our education programmes help our youngsters become flexible thinkers who are able to question existing thinking and adapt and creatively meet the demands of the future. They are provided with opportunities to develop their Information and Communication Technology skills and expand their horizons through enquiry, exploration and decision-making in order to excel in the present and shape the future.

The development of these skills pervades most of our lesson planning.

Consequently, our children can:
FEEL
THINK
DECIDE
and, where necessary,
CHANGE