Poverest is a genuine community school, providing a safe, positive and welcoming atmosphere and environment conducive to learning. We promote and support equality of opportunity for all our young people, who are nurtured and enabled in a collaborative, inclusive, and open manner.

We seek to meet, challenge, and raise expectations, within our diverse and rightly demanding community.

Our ambition for every child is for them to enjoy a positive school experience, with attention given to their emotional well-being, and individual needs met through structured learning opportunities. We strive to identify and then unlock the potential of every child, hearing their voice and providing appropriate challenge amidst high quality teaching and learning environments. Children tend to respond differently to the varied situations in school, and by investigating and then paying particular attention to individual learning styles, physical, academic, and emotional wellbeing can be harmonised.

It is vital to seek means by which children’s confidence and self esteem can be enhanced. Curricular and extra-curricular provision offer very many inclusive opportunities. Communication technology is utilised in progressive style as an asset to learning, both inside and outside of school. Classroom environments are stimulating, filled with the buzz that reflects genuine learning, with attention given to light, temperature and air quality. Sustainability is of crucial importance, should be embedded into our curriculum, and whole school, we should endeavour to eradicate or reduce negative environmental impact. The interface between school and out of school environments are carefully managed so that children are able to apply learning in a variety of contexts.

By the time our children come to the end of Year 6, they possess the essential knowledge required, to prepare them for both Secondary School, and beyond, as educated citizens. They leave us as self aware, self confident, well-rounded individuals, ambitious and with an enquiring mind, developed to satisfy a thirst for knowledge and life-long learning. They are proud, smart, confident and excited for the future; energised young citizens, who know the difference between right and wrong, are responsible, possessing the self-respect that allows them to understand and respect the rights and needs of others.

None of the above can happen without a talented, dedicated and hard working staff. We invest in our staff. All have access to appropriate training, mentoring and coaching. Experienced leadership ensures a close, caring, family community, ensuring stability amidst the demands of near constant change.

New and innovative approaches are trialled, applied, evaluated and celebrated. Leaders lead by example, role modelling high expectations, encouraging all to be well organised good communicators, who are resourceful, self-aware, and always striving to improve standards. Relationships are based on professionalism, with partnerships reflecting mutual trust and support. There is space for healthy debate and appropriate risk taking. Full participation in discussion and decision making is actively encouraged, allowing everyone to be involved in managing development and change.

Last but not least we have the Governing Body, who are in effect the critical friends of the school, tasked to ensure that the school environment is safe, with the interests and needs of all stakeholders met as much as is possible. Governors visit and meet with leaders frequently, sample the school in session, and sometimes ask necessarily awkward questions to ensure that teaching and learning is the best it can be. Governors are supportive independent minded individuals who come from a variety of backgrounds. Our desire is for the school to continue its development as a cornerstone of the community, enjoying a deserved reputation as an environment where all have the opportunity to thrive.

Reviewed September 2024