"Values aren't buses...They're not supposed to get you anywhere. They're supposed to define who you are."
Jennifer Crusie 2010
At the heart of our school are a set of core values. These underpin all aspects of our curriculum and school life. Our Character Curriculum, called Commando Joe, provides children with essential life skills and character skills; giving children the foundations to achieve, be resilient, tolerate others and make great choices for life- inside and outside of school. The curriculum follows a RESPECT framework, which allows children to develop their: resilience, empathy, self-awareness, passion, excellence, communication and teamwork.
In line with this, to emphasise the importance of these qualities, we have planned our values, so that each term celebrates one of the above qualities. This gives the children the chance to explore and learn more about each quality, whilst giving them the opportunity to be recognised for showing and demonstrating them, by achieving a certificate each week in our values assembly.
Our Values
Autumn 1
RESILIENCE
What it means in Chapelford?
In Chapelford we recognise the importance of resilience for our children. We encourage our children to be resilient in their learning so they can face challenges confidently and learn to try their best and not let getting something wrong stop them, but teach them to learn and grow from this.
Autumn 2
EMPATHY
What it means in Chapelford?
Empathy is important to us, so that our children are able to understand and share the feelings of another. This is key to helping our children’s friendships flourish and grow and supporting our children to be respectful of not just one another, but everyone.
Spring 1
SELF AWARENESS
What it means in Chapelford?
At Chapelford, we recognise that when children are aware of their own strengths and areas of improvement, it empowers them to grow and become better learners. Therefore, we encourage our pupils to regularly reflect on these and challenge themselves to enhance their abilities further in our everyday learning.
Spring 2
PASSION
What it means in Chapelford?
We strive to foster, nourish, and celebrate all of our students' passions, whether it is a passion for learning, a love or sport or an appreciation of the arts. Our offering of a wide and enhanced curriculum gives each child the chance to practise and study their passion alongside their peers and our celebration assemblies allow the children to celebrate and share their achievements.
Summer 1
EXCELLENCE
What it means in Chapelford?
We strive to ensure every student has a coherent understanding of what excellence is and how it is achieved through the ample opportunities they are given to display this in their behaviour, learning and achievements.
Summer 2
COMMUNICATION & TEAMWORK
What it means in Chapelford?
We strive to ensure every student has a deep understanding of what great communication and teamwork looks like. This half term they are given some great opportunities to work together and strengthen their communication skills ending with a celebration of their achievements as we close out the year.
British Values
The DfE have reinforced the 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 Chapelford Village Primary School, British values are promoted across many areas including school assemblies, Religious Education and PSHE sessions as well as within the wider teaching of the curriculum. We believe our school values compliment British values in many ways. As a school, we promote good health and fitness, perseverance, optimism and a “can-do” attitude in all. We celebrate each child’s success and encourage them to take pride in their own, as well as others’, achievements. We engage children in a creative curriculum that is tailored to their needs and reflects the context and community in which they live. At all times we seek to inspire children with a love of learning which will remain with them throughout their lives. Together with our parents, governors and the wider community, we aim for all children to succeed to the very highest standards. Children have opportunities to work both individually and collaboratively, giving them confidence, skills, independence and the self-esteem needed to be successful in a rapidly developing world. In order to fulfil our school vision, we seek to constantly adapt and improve, listen to parents and children and have ongoing evaluation and debate amongst stakeholders.
As well as actively promoting British values, we are also proactive in challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views.
In 2011, the government defined British Values as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We promote these values through our own school values, curriculum and enrichment activities.