You will see these statements on the walls all around the school, but more importantly you will see evidence of them in everything we do. These are our core principles, which underpin every decision we make.
HJS is
an inclusive school where everyone feels they belong.
We offer
a curriculum that excites and inspires!
We develop
confident, motivated and respectful young people.
We are
creative, curious and critical thinkers.
An inclusive school where everyone feels they belong
Our children tell us that they love coming to school because they feel well looked after and they have a good time. We make sure that all opportunities are available equally to every child. As well as making sure our policies and procedures are carefully assessed, to place children's safety as the top priority, we also make sure that we know our children and their families well enough to spot where help may be needed.
"We are the children of Henleaze school - we take a pride in the things we do; learning together and having fun...
Enjoyment is absolutely crucial, because that's what motivates us. Learning is our business, but it's not just in school that we learn, it's a lifelong passion, and anything is much more fun when you do it together!
The success of the school depends on every member of our community recognising that they are part of a team. The spirit of togetherness runs through every aspect of school life. All of our staff, whether teachers or cooks, learning support assistants or administrators, are there to support the children, and the children support each other. "Teaching" isn't something we do to children. "Learning" is something we do with them.
A curriculum that excites and inspires
We cover the National Curriculum and more. We aim to make learning meaningful, enjoyable and forward-looking. We like to tap into children's interests and areas of expertise. We understand that children have a natural thirst for knowledge, and we want to help them to make the most of that by equipping them with the skills they need to be lifelong learners.
We teach children about the world they live in, using the rich resources in the local area and connecting with global issues. We teach about the natural environment and our responsibility to protect it; we teach about democratic processes and how decisions are made in our society; we teach about the similarities and differences between people living in different countries and within our own society, and we respond to breaking news stories, in age appropriate fashion, to help children understand the world they are growing up in.
Confident, motivated and respectful young people
We celebrate all of the individual characteristics and cultural features of our diverse population. Children are encouraged to talk about themselves, their families, their religious practices or their experiences. They are also encouraged to take an interest in each other, to be excited about meeting people and getting to know them. Mutual respect between adults and children is just as important, and staff aim to model the sort of behaviour we expect children to adopt throughout their lives.
We are all different, and yet we share so much. We want everyone in our school to be happy with who they are, because when your self esteem is high, you are inclined to have a positive attitude and aspirations. The wellbeing of our children and our staff is of paramount importance. We teach children how to maintain good mental health, as well as keeping physically healthy, and most importantly we teach them how to keep themselves and each other safe.
We want children to be proud of their achievements, and proud of who they are. We know that no-one is perfect all the time, but at HJS we hope that the rewards for good behaviour and commitment to learning are sufficient incentive to everyone to be the best person they can be.
Creative, curious and critical thinkers
Learning is an awfully big adventure, to misquote J. M. Barrie. We love an adventure, complete with all the thrills and the risks that entails. Adults and children alike are passionate about discovering new facts, acquiring new skills, and getting to know more about themselves. Sometimes, we may embark upon a journey without being absolutely certain where we are heading, but constantly on the look out for lessons that will help us along the way.
We teach children the art of philosophical enquiry; the importance of good questions, and the value of listening to different answers. We teach them to challenge what doesn't make sense, to enjoy exploring ideas and to respect different opinions and interpretations.
We encourage children to adopt a growth mindset approach, recognising that through effort they can improve and develop. They learn to be resourceful and resilient. They adopt creative approaches to problem solving, they don't give up when it gets tough, and they use the mistakes they make along the way as tools to help them advance. They can then take pride in the results of their effort.