Visible Values

 

Our school values are at the heart of our Hurworth family. They are promoted, interwoven, recognised and rewarded at all times. 

 

Over the course of the year, our school values are focused on within our whole-school and class assemblies. We look at the value in action and in stories, developing a shared understanding of what the value is, what it looks like, what we can do to show this value and how we can recognise it in others. 

 

These values are regularly recognised by staff and are rewarded with positive praise when they see children demonstrating the value. The values are further revisited via our weekly whole-school celebration assemblies, where awards focusing on the different core values are presented by the class teacher. 

 

In order to facilitate the active promotion of our values, some specific approaches are taken which are detailed below. 

 

Kindness  

 

This is closely linked to the Fundamental British Values of Mutual Respect and Tolerance.

 

• This is taught through the ‘Relationships’ and ‘Living in the Wider World’ strands of our PSHE curriculum.

• Children work with a range of local stakeholders, cementing the school in our community through kindness, for example creating cards and gifts for Christmas.

• Children read stories and sing for local community events, for example singing Christmas songs at the local care home. 

• As a school, we collect and raise money for local charities, such as food banks, and national charities, such as Children in Need and the NSPCC. 

• We provide Lego therapy for those children who need it (a specific intervention to develop social, communication and organisation skills and help children manage their feelings and emotions).

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Respect  

 

This is closely linked to the Fundamental British Values of Mutual Respect, Tolerance and the Rule of Law.

 

• This is taught through the ‘Relationships’ and ‘Living in the Wider World’ strands of our PSHE curriculum.

• Our RE curriculum promotes this value strongly, allowing children to learn about a range of faiths and what makes these religions special. This includes trips to and visitors from different faiths. 

• We have close links with local churches, inviting members in for assemblies and key events.

• Our school visit programme includes visits to a range of locations, teaching children how to ‘be’ in a church, theatre, gallery etc.

• We consciously decide to ensure a range of people are invited into school, reflecting the diverse population of our country.

• All staff have a relentless focus on manners and being polite. Children are expected to demonstrate good manners and represent our school well, speaking politely and showing respect for one another, 

• Children take responsibility for maintaining their own school environment through keeping it tidy and looking after equipment. They scrape and tidy away their own plates and cutlery from the very start of school. They are part of the planning process for developing the school environment. 

• We offer opportunities for the children to discuss and debate regularly across the curriculum, giving them the chance to express their thoughts whilst respecting others’ opinions. 

• Whilst encouraging children to be proud of their achievements, we also foster the ability for children to be humble and to think about others when celebrating. 

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Resilience  

 

This is closely linked to the Fundamental British Value of Individual Liberty – being brave, positive and having self-belief.

 

• From the very first day of school, children at Hurworth are encouraged to persevere with academic, personal or social challenges. 

• Resilience is rewarded in class. We aim to foster an attitude where children enjoy the challenge of work and feel a real sense of pride when they persevere with something and achieve. 

• Teachers set work in class that encourages resilience. They will always encourage children to try first before offering further support, promoting a ‘can-do’ attitude in our learners. 

• When children ‘sign up’ to a role, club or experience, we encourage them to never give up, promoting endurance and determination.

• We encourage children to stand up for themselves and others through our PSHE curriculum, linked to our ‘Relationships’, ‘Living in the Wider World’ and ‘Health and Wellbeing’ strands. 

• We teach children how to recognise bullying and the importance of speaking out. We want children to have the courage and conviction to do the right thing, even if they may not always want to.

• We ensure that our school is a safe space for children to share, open up and articulate feelings and beliefs by interweaving opportunities for children to discuss and debate regularly across the curriculum.

• We teach children how to interact in complete sentences so that they can confidently communicate their ideas, thoughts and emotions. 

• The children are given lots of opportunities to show courage through speaking in front of others in pairs, groups, classes and through performances and presentations. 

• We encourage children to try a wide variety of foods through our termly menus to teach them the value of aiming for a varied diet.  
  
  The progressive ‘resilience’ curriculum expectations are detailed here:

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Fairness  

 

This is closely linked to the Fundamental British Value of Democracy.

 

• This is taught through the ‘Relationships’ and ‘Living in the Wider World’ strands of our PSHE curriculum, teaching the children how to be honest and good citizens, making sure that if they see injustice they feel morally obliged to do something. 

• Through excellent relationships with the children, we foster a sense of honesty, where children are not afraid to tell the truth if they have made a wrong decision. Our consistent, restorative approach to behaviour issues means that children understand that they are being treated with fairness and in turn demonstrate honesty.  

• We develop a culture of voting through the election of school council representatives, voting for books to read at the end of the day in Reception and Key Stage 1 and through assemblies. 

• School councillors for each class work to improve the school. These are voted for by the children in their class.

• Every child will represent the school at sporting events as an equitable offer – this is explained and valued.

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Teamwork  

 

This is closely linked to the Fundamental British Values of Mutual Respect and Tolerance.

 

• This is taught through the ‘Relationships’, ‘Living in the Wider World’ and ‘Health and Wellbeing’ strands of our PSHE curriculum.

• Every child will have the opportunity to be part of a team within the classroom, across the school and through wider opportunities in our community.  

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• The progressive teamwork curriculum expectations are detailed here:

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Ambition  

 

This is closely linked the Fundamental British Value of Individual Liberty – making our own choices and reaching for the stars.

 

• We ensure that our school is a safe space for children to share, open up and articulate feelings and beliefs by interweaving opportunities for children to discuss and debate regularly across the curriculum.

• As children progress through school, we aim to develop leadership opportunities for them:

  • Year 6 job roles and responsibilities

  • Year 6 Head Boy, Head Girl, Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl

  • School Councillors

  • Reading Ambassadors

  • Sports Leaders

  • Playground Leaders

  • Pupil Ambassadors
     

• In order to be ambitious, our mission is to empower our children to be independent.
  
  The progressive ‘independence’ curriculum is detailed here:
  
  
   

• We also encourage children to be independent away from home through the following progressive approach:

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