Our School Values
We have a set of four School Values that are at the heart of all we do, our learning, our behaviour and our community.
The values we promote across the school community are :
Friendship, Aspiration, Independence and Respect
These values create our school motto - "Together we are FAIR in all we do"
Aspirations Week 2024
On Wednesday 19th – Friday 21st June 2024, a wave of inspiration swept through Woodnook Primary School as pupils welcomed a group of successful professionals who shared their motivational stories and life journeys to the pupils as part of their Aspiration Week.
This event was organised as part of our ongoing initiative to inspire and motivate pupils by connecting them with successful individuals from their community.
The children were held spellbound by the real-life stories of these professionals and the children’s questions were searching and well researched.
Among our visitors were: Sara Britcliffe (Former Member of Parliament), Steve Campbell (CEO of the LET Education Trust Academy, Local PCSOs, Firefighter, Jonathon Hyam (owner of Jasmine Porsche Garage), Lee Walsh (Accrington Academy Football Coach).
On the final day of the event pupils and staff came to school dressed as a career they would like to do in the future!
"ALWAYS" CHILDREN
Each term the teachers choose a child from each class to receive a special "Always Child" award. These are the children who ALWAYS follow the school values and are respectful in school. These children also receive an invitation to an exciting outing. The children had great fun when they went bowling for their special treat.
Our ALWAYS children for the Summer Term enjoyed their special treat - a trip to Nandos!
BRITISH VALUES
Promoting British Values
Woodnook Primary School is committed to serving the community right from the early years. We recognise the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever-changing nature of our Local Area; Accrington, Burnley and also within the United Kingdom. We also understand the vital role we have in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.
The British Values are:
Democracy
The rule of law
Individual liberty
Mutual respect
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
Our School is dedicated right from starting in Early Years, to preparing students for their adult life through the explicit and wider curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British Values to all its students here at Accrington. We do this through:
- Our tailored PSHE Curriculum
- Our strong SMSC culture
- Our well thought out & planned Assemblies
- Using story
- Learning about 'inspirational people' and their lives and the impact this has on us: Malala/ Martin Luther King/ Mahatma Ghandi / Suffragettes
- Embedding British values thorough the explicit curriculum ie RE/ Literacy/ History/ PSHE
- Through visits/ visitors ie places of worship/ key speakers from different faiths
- Linking with other local primary schools in our cluster group
- Theme days and events ie Diwali day/ Cultural Art Week/ History Days
Democracy
The principle of democracy is consistently being reinforced at Woodnook Primary School, with democracy processes being used for important decisions within the school community, for instance, elections being held for Head Boy and Girl and School Council positions. The principle of democracy is also explored in the History - Suffragettes, Roman Empire, Religious Studies as well as in embedded in lesson time, through Picture News and Assemblies. We actively encourage all our children to have an opinion and a voice in all they do.
The rule of law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at our school.
Our pupils are taught the rules and expectations of the school which are highlighted through our high expectations and through our Behaviour Policy. Pupils are taught the value and the reasons behind laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service reinforce this message. Our Woodnook Values and Behaviour Policy help the running of our school rules to keep everyone safe and happy.
Individual liberty
At Woodnook Primary School, students are actively encouraged to make independent choices, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Staff at school educate and provide boundaries for students to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. We want our children to grow their own opinions, their own voice and we help all children to develop and grow and know "its ok to be me".
Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely, for example through online-safety and independent work. Woodnook Primary School has a robust anti-bullying and anti cyber cullying culture.
Our children are taught to value their freedom within their country through Remembrance/ Inspirational World Figures/ Freedom of Speech and Opinion.
Mutual Respect
Respect is a strong part of Woodnook Primary School and is one of our well embedded Values. Students learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect and this is reiterated through all our teaching and learning.
Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum by providing the opportunity for students to express their views in a safe environment whilst actively celebrating faiths, cultures and different ways of lives.
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
This is achieved though equipping students with the ability to understand their place in our culturally diverse & immediate community and by giving the opportunities to experience such diversity within the school community. Students benefit from a number of visits and visitors. Additionally, students are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school and celebrate festivities throughout the calendar year; Harvest, Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, Lent, Easter, Eid. The Religious Studies curriculum, which is compulsory for all students, provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures.
At Woodnook Primary School we ensure that all our students leave with the strongest foundation of Values upon which to build a successful life a within a diverse society.
Impact from Teaching of British Values:
Impact from our explicit and hidden curriculum can be seen throughout school in a range of ways:
- How polite our children are and the manners they hold
- How welcoming the children are towards new staff/ visitors/ new children
- How well embedded our WoodnookValues are within the children and staff and how everyone relates to these Values
- Through our Personal Development of our children through the strong SMSC culture running throughout school
- The knowledge the children gain by listening and visiting other places / the knowledge they learn from our curriculum
- The independence they gain right from 4 years of age and the 'voice and opinions' they freely give without the sense of failure
- Children are proud of their heritage & religion and express this belief free from bullying
- The sense of 'right from wrong' and the consequences that these have within our Behaviour Policy
- Through zero racism tolerance and our strong anti bullying policy that children respect
Project Chameleon Program - Year 6
Project Chameleon is a 10-week program delivered by ex-Police Officer trainers. They educate KS2 pupils about different aspects of law and crime, helping them to make positive choices going forward.
This is what this year's pupils learnt from the project:
"I learnt that there are different types of abuse, for example verbal abuse, mental abuse, physical abuse and domestic abuse."
"I learnt the difference between burglary, robbery and theft. I also learnt that class A drugs were the worst drugs class and supplying or purchasing it can result in a life imprisonment."
"I learnt about road safety and vehicle crime. I learnt about the importance of always wearing a helmet when riding a bike."