West Hill Primary School

[EduCativ]

The values that underpin the ethos of West Hill Primary school give every child the opportunity to learn, achieve and succeed. Our focus is to provide a stimulating, nurturing, and safe environment where the children can reach their full potential.

At the heart of West Hill’s practice, policy and ethos are the UNICEF Rights- Respecting school award. Our rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships.

We are a school with a strong community feel, staff and children use the language associated with a Rights Respecting school. Positive relationships with parents and carers are key to children’s success and we work hard to ensure that all families feel welcome and supported. We enjoy strong relationships with the wider community.

West Hill Primary was officially designated as a two-form entry from September 2012. The school is situated in the center of Wandsworth, London. The school is well resourced and a vibrant learning environment. At West Hill, we offer every child the opportunity to reach their full potential. We provide a stimulating, supportive environment where children thrive.

Our vision statement for every child is: ‘Ready to learn, inspired to succeed, prepared for life’. At West Hill, we teach values along with the Unicef Convention on the Rights of a child.

For our school to be accredited as rights-respecting we demonstrated that we have reached evidence for all four of the following standards:

• Standard A: Rights-respecting values underpin leadership and management The best interests of the child are a top priority in all actions. Leaders are committed to placing the values and principles of the CRC at the heart of all policies and practices.
• Standard B: The whole school community learns about the CRC The Convention is made known to children and adults. Young people and adults use this shared understanding to work for global justice and sustainable living.
• Standard The school has a rights-respecting ethos Young people and adults collaborate to develop and maintain a rights-respecting school community, based on the CRC, in all areas and all aspects of school life.
• Standard Children are empowered to become active citizens and learners Every child has the right to say what they think in all matters affecting them and to have their views taken seriously. Young people develop the confidence, through their experience of an inclusive rights-respecting school community, to play an active role in their learning and to speak and act for the rights of all to be respected locally and globally.

British values are included in the whole school values. The children learn about them in a variety of ways included:

Democracy: Enabling Enterprise ‘A Day in Politics’ School Council – pupils democratically elect the representatives for each class, Trips to Parliament, Visits from local magistrates talking to young people about the Magistrates’ Courts and the Criminal Justice System, Developing a ‘Class and School Charter’ Pupils questionnaires, Children are consulted about the anti-bullying and behavior policies.

The Rule of Law: Each class has a class charter that states the Rights and Responsibilities of all children in the class – related to behavior and learning. Children gain an understanding of the importance of Laws through everyday discussions in the classroom and assemblies. They are taught about the notion of ‘fair play in PE, playtimes, and their lessons. Topics on ‘People who help us ensure the children are aware of the role of the police in society. Year 5 have a day learning about ‘citizenship’ with other schools in the locality. Children learn about The Importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, the country, that they are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behavior hospitals are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. This is reinforced by visits from local magistrates talking to young people about the Magistrates’ Courts and the Criminal Justice System

Individual Liberty: Children are made aware of their rights and the rights of all children through the CRC. This is taught through assemblies and underpins all that we do. To have individual liberty, you need to have equal opportunity. This is provided through curriculum activities and Enabling Enterprise. They have the opportunity to take part in all activities regardless of e.g medical needs, disabilities, cultural or religious beliefs. Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school, we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through of provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and learn how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of challenge, of how they record, or participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.

Mutual Respect: Part of our school ethos and behavior policy has revolved around Core Values such as ‘Respect’, and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. Posters around the school promote respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and class charters, as well as our behavior policy. Our playground buddy scheme promotes care and respect between children of different ages.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs: This is achieved through the teaching of RE, through PSHE – where the children learn about other's beliefs. This is reinforced through visits to places of worship. Our Rights Respecting teaching promotes an understanding of others’ lives and different experiences. Our Anti-bullying policy (drawn up in partnership with the pupils) supports a culture of mutual respect and tolerance of difference.

West Hill’s curriculum provides a wide range of learning opportunities to encourage our pupils to develop key skills which can be used across different subjects. At all stages they learn, practice, combine, develop and refine these in their work across the curriculum. Opportunities for learning and teaching all these skills across the stages are identified in detailed planning. Homework is a valuable part of their learning.

At West Hill, we focus on developing the children’s self-evaluation skills from Nursery through to Year 6. We encourage children always to reflect on their learning. What do they think about what they have just learned? What support do they feel they need? How could they have done it better? We ensure learners are challenged and that they experience a rich, exciting, and relevant curriculum. Social inclusion is central and implicit in all areas of the curriculum.

We want pupils to enjoy and be interested in all their learning, which will extend and nurture their innate curiosity about the world in which they live. Our role, in partnership with parents, is to build the foundations for a successful education, to enable each child to discover the joy of learning, to help them to fulfill every aspect of their potential, and to encourage their growth into effective citizens, ready to play their part in the world and their community.

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