School Aims and Vision

As a school we have the motto, ‘Believe, Work Hard, Succeed. We have 5 aims that drive the curriulum and guide all we do:

Portreath School’s  Vision Statement

Portreath School wants the best for all its children and staff. We want to be a school where we build strong relationships, children are filled with positive experiences and their fires are ignited for learning.  We aim to create lifelong learners with a passion for life and inner confidence.

We are a happy school where children feel safe and cared for. Our school is a place where children know they matter, they believe in themselves and try to be the best that they can be.  We see children as individuals with their own needs, interests and strengths.  Our goal is for every child to feel special, feel listened to and have a voice.  We expect everyone to feel proud of who they are and what they achieve. We want children to enjoy their childhood and have fun.

Our curriculum drivers are our 5 key aims that guide all we do.  We want each child and staff member to become:

  • a DEEP THINKER who is a fluent reader, knowledgeable, creative and has mastered key skills in range of subjects
  • an EFFECTIVE LEARNER who demonstrates curiosity and independence, strives to improve and is a problem solver
  • a CONFIDENT COMMUNICATOR who is a logophile and bibliophile
  • a HAPPY AND HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL who is inclusive, celebrates diversity and feels that they belong
  • a PERSON who MAKES A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE to others, the community, the environment and the world

We aim to provide children with lessons and experiences that ensure that they make excellent progress.  There are high expectations and aspirations for everyone, including those who with additional needs and disadvantaged children.

The School promotes five learning behaviours: we want children to be brave, ready, responsible, resilient and happy.  We endeavour to make our children independent and encourage them to develop a growth mindset.  Children are not fearful of mistakes but understand that we can learn from them.  Staff and children dare to take risks, try new things, and strive to continuously improve.  We are a reflective school where staff and children reflect on what is working and what is not. We expect everyone to work hard and do their best.

We work hard to ensure children become confident and effective readers, writers and mathematicians and we have a passion for providing a broad, balanced and creative curriculum.  Lessons are suitably pitched, well-paced and linked to the pupils’ next steps.  The curriculum is relevant to them and gives them the opportunity to be creative and explore their own interests and questions.  We like to take advantage of experiences on offer and use these to supplement and direct our teaching.  Enrichment is provided through visits, visitors and special experiences.  The school prides itself on the performances the children regularly stage, as well as regular opportunities to watch live theatre.  We aim for our lessons to stimulate, inspire, support, challenge the pupils and fuel their curiosity.  We are passionate about outdoor learning and helping children to learn to manage risk for themselves.  We want them to remain in touch with the natural world and we make use of the fantastic school grounds and local environment, including the beach and woods.  Sport is an important element of school life and we want everyone to have a healthy body and mind.

We aim to develop the whole child.  The school promotes five core values: kindness, empathy, inclusion, honesty and gratitude. Emotional and social development is a key part of school life.  We have adopted ‘Trauma and Mental Health Informed School’ principles.  Our school recognises that all behaviour is a form of communication.  We try to address what children are trying to communicate, then support and empower them to communicate in a safe and appropriate way.  We want to give everyone the skills and understanding to build happy, healthy and trusting relationships. Our school is committed to educational practices which follow the ‘Protect, Relate, Regulate and Reflect model’.

Our school has a ‘family feel’ where everyone knows and cares for everyone else.  To promote this, children from different year groups have opportunities to work together.  Every Reception child has a Year 6 buddy who helps them settle into school in their first year.  Children are expected to look after each other.  Being part of the village community is very important to us.   The school is involved with #loveportreath to ensure our village is a wonderful place to live now and in the future.  We are committed to looking after our world and have achieved ‘Plastic Free Status’ due to our work on reducing single use plastic.

The school appreciates the importance of communication.  Everyone has a voice: children, staff, parents and governors.  We aim for all staff to feel cared for, valued, positive, happy, appreciated and trusted. The school empowers the parents and carers too. Parents’ views are sought regularly.  We want parents to know that they can have a positive impact on their child’s education.  Parents are informed not only about what we are doing but why.  Partnerships with other schools is essential, particularly those in the Crofty MAT. Education is a continuous journey and smooth transition is key so we work closely with Portreath Pre-School, Redruth School and Pool Academy.

We strive for Portreath School to give its children the best possible start to their life of learning.  Our motto is:  Believe, work hard, succeed.