Aims, Ethos & Values
The best start in life for your child...
Here at Epsom Downs Community School & Early Years Centre, our ethos is that of ensuring children receive a high-quality education in a welcoming and professional environment, enabling them and their families to grow in learning and confidence.
Our Aims
We encourage everyone to:
- be happy, safe and confident
- realise their potential and challenge their personal expectations
- respect and show consideration in their behaviour to one another and the environment
- work hard to achieve and excel through creative learning opportunities
- experience quality learning beyond the classroom
- succeed in a nurturing environment where all views are valued
- be physically active and take care of themselves
- become resilient independent learners for life
- use ICT safely, in an innovative way
Our Six Principles of Nurture
- Children learn differently; we learn what we are ready to learn.
- We like our classroom to be safe, quiet and calm with people who care about us.
- We need to be liked, understood and listened to and that makes us feel good about ourselves.
- Use your voice! Talking and listening to each other is important so we understand each other.
- Everything we say or do tells others how we are feeling.
- Change can be a challenge but it is a chance to grow.
School Values
Our School Values are front and centre of our school. They have been chosen by our school community and reflect the values that we aim to develop in our pupils as they progress through Epsom Downs. They are referred to frequently in school as a reference point for behaviour choices, good and bad. This means that children do not have to memorise a whole group of school rules – instead, they can easily realise when they are doing the right thing, which will be when they a following our values. Here they are, with the characters designed by our very own children!
Promoting British values
The DfE have recently reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to 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.”
The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated by the Prime Minister this year. At Epsom Downs Community School & Early Years Centre these values underpin the essence of all that we do, and are reinforced regularly.
Our commitment to promoting British values
