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Our School

Values and Ethos STATEMENT

Our Vision

By demonstrating our school values, children at Camelot will develop a love of learning, independence, skills and knowledge to fulfil their potential and become well-balanced, resilient, active members of our community.

Our Mission

At Camelot we all work together to nurture and challenge each individual child through our tailored provision. We have high expectations of learning and behaviour and regularly celebrate achievement, collaboration and effort. 

Our enriching curriculum provides a broad range of inspirational learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom.  We engage children in their learning through interesting and relevant topics, reinforcing the skills necessary to develop their personal character, sense of community and spirituality.  We encourage children to take responsibility for their learning and behaviour, promoting independence through exploration, questioning and decision-making.  

As members of the school community, children work collaboratively and are encouraged to take on roles and responsibilities in the classroom and across the school.  They participate in a wide range of school events and activities which supports their all-round development and provides them with opportunity to model our school values.

Our aims

This statement aims to show how the collective values of our school are translated into collective practice, in a clear and coherent way by articulating what our school does to create an effective learning environment. It will set a series of expectations for teachers, providing clarity for all members of staff to ensure that all our pupils are provided with a rich and varied learning experience. Through the curriculum and our practice we strive to develop a culture of learning through high quality learning experiences, where children are engaged and challenged, where they are valued as individuals, where their personal, social, spiritual and emotion needs are met and where they are able to progress and reach their full potential. Finally, it will allow staff to participate in the on-going research into teaching and learning so that the quality of education offered by the school continues to improve. 

What is Learning? 

As a school we believe that curiosity and exploration are the foundations of learning and allow children to make sense of the world around them.  As they acquire knowledge and skills through a variety of different experiences, children develop their understanding and begin to apply their learning independently in a range of contexts. Through our discussions we have drawn out the following principles.

  • Learning is personal

          We make personal sense of information and experiences.

  • Learning is connected

          We make sense by making connections between what we already know and new inputs.

  • Learning is active 

          We have to be involved in the learning process, often with the support and aid of others.

  • Learning is reflective

         We have to take time to review our learning, receiving and processing the new information.

There are many factors which affect learning, which we take into account when planning for learning in our school.

  • Physical factors including the learning environment and the delivery of learning
  • Emotional factors including motivation and self-esteem
  • Learning skills including collaboration, communication, the ability to question and reason, and the ability to think.

'Quality First Learning' 

What does a ‘high quality learning experience’ look like?

Through discussion and research we have concluded that children learn best when they:

  • Are given a broad range of learning experiences, allowing them to develop and discover new interests
  • Find the work challenging and enjoyable through tasks that are appropriately demanding
  • Are given time to think creatively and critically
  • Understand the outcome of the learning journey, know how well they are progressing and what is needed for success
  • Are able to work collaboratively
  • Are able to use a variety of learning styles and there is some element of flexibility and choice
  • Receive regular and frequent feedback with clear strategies for improvement
  • Work in a stimulating and well ordered environment
  • Are happy and treated with respect
  • Reflect on their learning
  • Have achievements celebrated

‘Quality First Teaching’ 

High quality learning experiences are the product of ‘quality first teaching.’  Through discussion and research we have concluded that that the constituents ‘exceptional teaching’ is:

  • Using inspiring and motivating stimuli to engage children in their learning
  •  Maintaining high expectations and clear boundaries
  • Being adaptable, reflective and responsive to the learning that is taking place
  • Providing high quality feedback about learning
  • Evaluating and reflecting on the effectiveness of teaching on the children’s learning
  • Creating a supportive climate for learning based on positive relationships in which children feel able to express their views and opinions
  • Developing subject knowledge of the curriculum including the pedagogy of the subject and/or concepts being taught and the progression across the year groups
  • Planning questions and predicting answers, using a variety of questioning techniques
  • Planning for different learning opportunities across the lesson
  • Ensuring that learning meets the needs of all pupils and that children have the opportunity to collaborate with others
  • Ensuring effective and appropriate use of resources to support learning

These principles of what makes effective teaching and learning underpin the strategies and systems which we have developed at Camelot. As teachers, we have the opportunity to investigate and trial new ideas and strategies in our classroom.  However, when evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies we should refer back to the principles defined in this statement, ensuring that they are contributing to the culture of learning that we are striving for as a school.