Welcome to Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School. Bishop Martin is a thriving Church School whose core aim is "Learning Together, in God's Love".
We are truly committed to nurturing highly motivated and independent young people who have a life-long love of learning that extends across the whole curriculum.
Recognizing its historic foundation, the school will preserve and develop its religious character following the principles of the Church of England and in partnership with the Church at the parish and diocesan level.
The school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils.
Our vision and values are at the core of everything we do. They underpin our school vision which is: To provide a happy, safe and caring community that prepares our children to be confident and happy citizens who are successful both in school and the outside world. To have high expectations of pupil achievement through challenging, creative, and engaging learning experiences that meet the needs of all learners and develop in them a desire to succeed. To lead by example so that pupils are encouraged to view perseverance and resilience as integral to their journey to success and personal growth and to have pride in their achievements.
We have twelve core values that are embedded in the life and work of the school and its community. They are Thankfulness, Trust, Perseverance, Justice, Service, Truthfulness, Generosity, Compassion, Courage, Forgiveness, Friendship, and Respect. We focus on one value each half term over a two-year cycle.
These values are clear in everything we do and how we operate. They reflect the core ideology of our school and do not change over time. The person you are is an expression of these values. They determine how you think and what you do. They shape your purpose and determine your vision. They establish your character and are hugely important to who you are. Values are what we live, breathe and these are reflected in our day-to-day activities.
Bishop Martin CE Primary School is an inclusive school. We are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents, and carers receiving services from the school, irrespective of race, gender, disability, faith, religion, or socio-economic group, and recognizing the protected characteristics in the Equality Act. Working in partnership with parents, we provide a happy, stimulating environment rooted in Christian values. All are cared for and nurtured spiritually, morally, intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.
At Bishop CE Primary School, we believe that diversity is a strength, which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit here. Our school is a Church of England Primary School, however, we welcome children from all backgrounds, abilities, races, and religions.
At Bishop Martin CE Primary School, our Early Years provision consists of a Reception Class. We are committed to providing a high-quality Early Years education that gives children a secure and confident start to their school life and nurtures a lifelong love of learning. We are fully committed to the purpose and aims of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework 2012 that states:
“Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfill their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances.”
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers the development of children from birth to the end of their Reception Year. The overarching aim of the EYFS is to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s ‘school readiness and gives children a broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.
We follow the Statutory Framework of the EYFS and the four guiding principles that shape practice within Early Years settings.
Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, confident, and self-assured. Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents, and/or carers. Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.
Children learn skills, acquire new knowledge and demonstrate their understanding through the seven areas of learning and development:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social, and emotional development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
The EYFS learning environment is organized to allow children to explore and learn securely and safely. The environment is set up in learning areas, where children are easily able to find clearly labeled equipment and resources they need. Children are encouraged to become independent learners and to take some responsibility for initiating their lines of inquiry and investigation.
Activities are planned for both inside and outside with children having the freedom to move between the indoor and outdoor classroom throughout the school day. The learning environment is divided into a variety of different areas, including designated areas for writing, numeracy, art and craft, role play, physical activity, construction, small world and play dough area as well as book corner, sand, and water. These areas are carefully arranged to encourage quiet areas and more active areas within the learning environment.
Our Early Years Foundation Stage has an outdoor area for the children to learn in throughout the day. Being outdoors offers opportunities for children to do things in different ways and on different scales. It offers the children the opportunity to explore, use their senses and be physically active.
