Our Ethos, Values and Curriculum Offer
Aiming high together
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.
‘Aiming High Together’ not only intends to encapsulate our school values and ethos but sets out practically our wider learning intent for pupils as they journey through their years at our school.
It is about what makes Loxley Primary School special and the ambition we have for all pupils in our school ‘family’.
All children who attend Loxley will benefit from teaching methods which aspire for ALL children to reach their full potential.
Access to first quality teaching with flexible and integrated groupings of children is the mainstay of outstanding practice at Loxley. Research shows* that children progress better when they are supported by the most qualified staff members – usually teachers. Our teaching assistants’ excellent practice comes through working alongside teaching staff. In this way, we provide an inclusive, ambitious learning offer for children no matter what their initial levels of attainment may be. Only when it is necessary to meet specific learning needs are pupils taught separately from their class at times or given different learning objectives to the rest of their class. *Educational Endowment Foundation.
Our children learn the key skills of reading, writing and mathematics together from outstanding teaching
At Loxley, there are no slow lanes. We are a learning family aiming to ensure that key knowledge and skills are retained and built upon for all pupils regardless of their prior attainment. We give challenge and support where needed but do not arbitrarily differentiate work based on broad, fixed ability groupings. This would, we believe, create artificial barriers to learning. Pupils learn in a variety of different styles including individually and in collaborative Kagan groups and pairs.
Our children learn the key skills of reading, writing and mathematics together from outstanding teaching
Outcomes for pupils in reading, writing and maths are routinely much higher than those nationally. We recruit judiciously and invest in staff development to create a talented, conscientious staff team. Children progress rapidly in Reception and continue to make good progress from the end of this year. We aim to build on this success by analytically refining our practice and focussing on individual needs whilst ensuring children enjoy their educational experience at Loxley.
Our children will be immersed in books and language and read sophisticated texts with pleasure and interest.
Our aim is that pupils will develop a love of reading during their time at Loxley Primary School as an end in itself, to enrich our pupils’ lives, and to give children the best opportunity to be confident and successful in life. Alongside a structured synthetic phonics and reading programme, children’s comprehension and fascination with books will be inspired by a range of texts from a class to an individual level throughout their time at Loxley.
All pupils develop a love of learning through enquiry-based education including in our own woodland. We give children the language and cultural capital to enrich this learning.
Children learn through tangible experiences and from formulating questions based on their learning. Knowing how to answer questions in a systematic way and having the language to express ideas as Scientists, Geographers, Historians etc. enhances life chances. Enquiry learning permeates throughout the curriculum.
Chance to play a tuned musical instrument competently and develop a love of music.
At Loxley, we provide equality of opportunity and excellence in music. ALL children learn to play a tuned musical instrument by the end of Year 6 and this teaching is integrated into our music curriculum. Loxley is also a singing school. Rather than solely having a choir, all children benefit from the uplifting experience of singing and performing as a whole class or school both at Loxley and in other inspiring settings. Further opportunities for music are rich and plentiful across the age range.
Every child has the opportunity to compete in a school sports team and have the highest quality PE lessons with the support of outstanding sports coaching.
High quality sport and physical exercise are woven through every school day. Loxley invests in the benefits of exercise and employs an outstanding sports coach at lunchtimes and during lesson times to promote engagement and excellence. Loxley children experience a wealth of different activities from badminton to dance to outward bound pursuits. Every child at Loxley has the chance to represent the school in a competition or festival.
Children develop knowledge and skills for their next steps in life including in the world of work.
At Loxley, we care about and want to develop the whole child to help them negotiate life’s hurdles and have the personal skills to make the most of life’s opportunities. Role play and small world toys particularly help younger pupils’ personal development. Children learn how skills from delivering presentations to road safety relate to future life chances. Ensuring acquisition of key skills in English and Mathematics underpins Loxley pupils’ potential to access future career opportunities. Carefully planned personal development opportunities are embedded in a structured way across the whole life of the school to give children the confidence and ability to thrive in later life.
Pupils become a respected and respectful, valued member of the community.
All pupils at Loxley Primary School benefit from a shared Loxley Code of Behaviour. We treat others as we would wish to be treated ourselves and all pupils have the chance to represent the school in the wider community. (The photo across is one of our community projects; painting a local bus shelter.)
All children will have a chance to lead others positively
All children will develop leadership skills as they progress through school. By Year 6, every child will have had the opportunity to, apply for and regularly undertake a formalised, substantive leadership role at a whole school level regardless of their academic attainment or background. They plan, organise, liaise and develop high order inter-personal skills.
A chance for all children to discover their own identity and celebrate their uniqueness
From choosing their own learning paths in continuous provision in their Reception year, having a rich and varied curriculum to discover their strengths to having diversity celebrated and choosing responsibilities which match their strengths, Loxley pupils explore and celebrate theirs and each others’ uniqueness.
Parents and staff teamwork leads to success and well-being for pupils.
The positive relationship between parents and school contributes to excellent learning behaviour and pupil well-being. Staff are highly accessible with many channels for formal and informal discussions about each child’s progress. Parents have a voice and work hard to improve the school within the highly successful Loxley School Fundraising Association and as members of our governing board. (Photo across taken from our annual Carols in the Woods LSFA charity fundraiser.)
Chance to be at a school with a family feel where every child is known and valued
Visitors to Loxley Primary School often talk about the warmth and sense of a school family here – we want to protect, nurture and never lose sight of this much valued, intrinsic aspect of our school.
Throughout their journey at Loxley Primary School, children feel secure in a supportive and compassionate environment. Children embrace challenge without fear and care for others as they are cared for themselves.
Extra Curricular Clubs and Activities
We aim for all our learners at Loxley to have additional opportunities outside of normal school lesson time to develop themselves as individuals. With this in mind, please see the latest extra-curricular package the school is offering. We hope to encourage and nurture pupils in trying new things and improving already existing skill sets.
Relevant Policies
If you would like to see our Curriculum Policy, please click on the link below.
If you would like to see how our curriculum links to the Equality Act of 2010, please click the link below to see our Equality Policy.
If you would like to see how our curriculum links to the Special Educational Needs & Disability Regulations Act of 2014, please click the link to see our SEN Policy.