St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School

St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School is a warm and welcoming community; as a Catholic school we are deeply aware of the unique nature of each individual and the purpose that each one of us has in following Jesus.

Our mission statement encapsulates what we aim to provide: “Together with Jesus, we will Learn and Grow in Faith.” We aim to ensure that all children grow to love their learning, that they are happy in school. We are committed to ensuring that every pupil receives learning that enables them to attain the highest levels of achievement possible and that we provide a stepping stone for a positive future for all of them.

We will strive for excellence in our ever changing world, by promoting a love of lifelong learning. We will do this by: Providing inspirational teaching through effectively planning, monitoring and evaluating provision to enrich future teaching and learning. Providing opportunities for all to develop their gifts and talents realising their full potential. Celebrating the gifts and talents of all, to support and encourage success. Ensuring that the ethos and culture of school is positive with lots of opportunities for enhancement of the curriculum to ensure school is fun. Ensuring the resources the children use are up to date and reflect changes in the modern world.

History topics and special events studied give children a taste of our history and our pride in our country. However our children are growing up in a diverse multicultural society that continues to be troubled by the threat of terrorism.

It is therefore vital that we give our children a sense of belonging to the wider community, and to the country in which they live, by promoting British values, helping them to develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

Education regulations state that to meet the standard for the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development of pupils, schools must actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

Our collective worship, weekly assemblies, strong school ethos, good relationships throughout the school and the activities we provide outside the classroom are all ways we ensure pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

From enabling children in the EYFS to develop from playing alongside to playing together, to visits to the involvement in school Parliament in KS2, the promotion of British values is differentiated throughout the school and across the curriculum, particularly in RE and PSHE. Our SEAL programme also teach children to have empathy with others and become independent learners.

We cater for each pupil’s needs, encouraging them to develop their talents and so achieve their personal goals. This enables our children to make a positive contribution to the wider community and following Gospel values, ensures that they are fully prepared for life in British society and for their role as citizens.

In our school, Catholic Religious Education is the “core of the core curriculum” and the foundation of the education we provide for pupils. We provide a wide range of extra-curriculum activities and strong pastoral support.

The 2014 National Curriculum differs from previous versions in a number of ways, mainly in that it encourages a deeper learning – mastery – of fewer objectives, and in the way that it encourages children to be taught a knowledge of key facts as well as the skills which will equip them for the future workplace.

We seek to provide a broad, balanced differentiated curriculum and offer a wide range of exciting, challenging activities and experiences to all pupils irrespective of ability, background, ethnic origin or gender.

We acknowledge that children learn in many different ways and we recognise the need to develop strategies that allow all children to learn in ways that suit them. Opportunities are planned to cater for a range of different learning styles to ensure that all children can access the curriculum and learn in a way that is best for them.