We, at Naphill and Walters Ash School, are proud of the development, support and education of our children. We are a co-educational community school for children age 4 – 11 years, and have also been a Forest school for over 7 years.  Our children are happy and make good progress in the classroom with lots of activities to stimulate them outside, such as our winning football team and choir.

Our Vision

To provide a safe and supportive learning environment that provides the opportunity for each child to develop the skills and knowledge to reach their full potential as a person through academic achievement and personal development.

Our Mission

• To build a culture where children have a positive approach to learning that promotes high standards and ensures all pupils can achieve their full potential;
• To foster resilient, confident and creative learners, prepared for the next steps in their education and life.
• To value children’s efforts and recognise their achievements, encouraging them to take responsibility and accountability.
• To encourage and develop independent thinking and self-awareness, with a respect for the world in which we live;

Our Objectives

• Deliver the highest possible quality of teaching and a provide cohesive and relevant learning experience;
• Develop children’s personal life-skills through Forest School and extra-curricular opportunities;
• Set high expectations and continually raise standards;
• Ensure that our pupils feel supported, safe and enjoy coming to school.
• Maintain strong governance and astute financial management to ensure availability of high quality resources;
• Have clear guidelines, policies and processes that everyone understands and follows;
• Promote the engagement of parents in the learning of their children and the development of good behaviour.

At our school we promote British Values to give our children strategies to challenge extremist views and develop skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in, and contribute positively to, life in modern multi-cultural Britain.  We do this in the following ways.

These values and attributes give our children invaluable core life skills to build on through their academic careers and beyond into adult life and the workplace.

British Values

Schools are expected to teach and promote British values as set out by the Department for Education. These values are;

Democracy

• Our school council is elected by the other pupils.  They are the pupil voice of the school and meet to discuss various aspects of school life and suggest improvements. 
• The biannual parent surveys give parents/carers a chance to give us their views on the school.  We listen to these views and make changes accordingly
• The school regularly carries out pupil surveys; some are conducted by the staff and others the Junior Leadership Team carry out on issues such as bullying and safeguarding.
• Auditions for the annual talent contest are held and each class votes for the class winner.
• Our staff have significant and invaluable input into the management of the school.
• Our governing body is constituted on democratic principles, is representative of its stakeholders and operates on a principle of collective responsibility

Rule of Law

• Our children understand why laws and rules are necessary and demonstrate this by adhering to the school rules and behaviour codes.
• In order to take part in Forest School the children have to learn 10 key rules, all of which are aimed at keeping them safe. This helps the children understand from an early age this important aspect of having rules.
• The children are asked to give their views on the codes and then the School Councillors feed that information back to the teachers.  For example they felt it was unfair that children should be penalised for just one blue behaviour code as it was often a one off incident. They felt forgiveness should be demonstrated in this case.
• Our children are taught the value and reason behind laws, who is involved in enforcing them and what happens if the laws are broken.  When a child is given a code there is a discussion as to why it was given, what the consequences of their behaviour have been or could have been and when appropriate what the consequences as an adult would have been.

Individual Liberty

• Our children are encouraged to make their own choices and understand the consequences of those choices.
• They are, within the overall safe environment of our school, enabled to make decisions about the way they learn and the way they treat others.  This is consolidated using assemblies, SMSC learning and through group work with our Behaviour Support Assistant.
• We use topical news items for discussion and reflection in class and in assembly e.g. fake news, International Women’s Day and esafety.

Mutual Respect

• Our school values are based on mutual respect and this is a regular topic in assemblies and is reinforced by everyone involved with the school.
• Our zero tolerance for bullying, together with our behaviour code system, ensures that our children understand why any form of bullying is wrong and we have little or no bullying in school.
• The school quickly and openly tackles any use of derogatory language, we do not accept this in any form.
• Our Behaviour Support Assistant and all staff work with children to resolve disputes in a tolerant and diplomatic way.
• Our children engage with their local community by sending a monthly article about the school to the local community magazine.
• The children often come up with events that the whole school raise money for, the children lead the assemblies and promote the event e.g. Children in Need and Water Aid.

Tolerance of Individual Faiths and Beliefs

• Our children understand that they all have a place and a role to play in the future of this country and the world.
• We openly discuss and encourage the children of different faiths and no faith to participate in our RE lessons. In assemblies links are made between religions, world events and school life so that our children can see views are shared.
• They are taught to challenge stereotypes and language that could be construed as prejudiced.
• We take part in local sporting and musical events where the children participate with other children from the local area.