Life in all its fullness
ST GILBERT’S
CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Welcome to
ST. GILBERT’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL
A loving Christian school family, enriched by living ‘Life in all its fullness.’
St Gilbert’s, set in the heart of Georgian Stamford, is an exciting place to be and you will be captivated by its warmth, vibrancy and dynamic energy when you walk through the doors. Our school community is made up of pupils, staff and parents who unite around our ethos and core values of ‘Happiness, Courage and Service.’
Within a supportive environment, pupils are challenged to achieve their personal best and inspired to serve others with their talents. They are encouraged to be confident and to take risks as they explore their potential. A good work ethic, mutual respect and responsibility are key qualities which are nurtured in every child at St Gilbert’s.
We want our children, from all faiths and none, to take opportunities to grapple with the ‘big questions’ of life; to have a deep awareness of the diverse cultures and beliefs within our society and beyond; to develop a clear understanding of their identity and purpose and to reflect thoughtfully on what they believe. We encourage open minds and independent judgement, and we seek to nurture the whole child in a supportive and caring environment. EVERYONE is respected and valued, and pupils develop not only academically, but socially, emotionally and spiritually.
‘Embrace opportunities, be outward looking, see the colour in life even during challenging times, and challenge yourself, create the life you want. ’ PARENT
Our
VISION AND VALUES
Our vision is for our pupils, staff and community To inspire a love of learning ‘Life in all its fullness.’
Every decision we make is driven by our vision and ensures every individual is valued; talents are nurtured and excellence prevails. We provide a high quality education in a caring, supportive, calm and inclusive learning environment. Every pupil here is unique and we have fostered an enriching and meaningful curriculum where we equip our pupils for the next stage of their education beyond life at St. Gilbert’s.
Our three core values, Happiness, Courage and Service, weave seamlessly into every aspect of daily life and underpin all we do. If we are happy, feel loved, included and valued, it allows us to develop the confidence to be courageous in our learning, friendships and in life. We can then be of service to others both in our school community and beyond. We want to equip our children with the skills and knowledge to understand the world, and use their unique gifts to serve others.
‘ Pupils are well cared for in this friendly, welcoming school. Leaders and staff share a vision to inspire pupils with a love of learning. An engaging curriculum, strong Christian ethos and pastoral care are at the heart of the school’s work. Teachers encourage pupils to be confident and independent learners. Pupils receive good-quality education. Teachers make learning purposeful and interesting.’ OFSTED
‘There is a real sense of community with everyone feeling cared for. The core values run throughout school life.’ PARENT
‘I have come that you may have life, life in all its fullness’
John 10:10
Church DISTINCTIVENESS
We have strong Christian values, which are the foundation on which our learning and behaviour are based.
We celebrate all achievements, academic and creative, both in school and within the community. We have strong community links and always receive great feedback on our amazing children and dedicated staff.
Our vision means that as unique individuals in the eyes of God, we seek to thrive together in love, life and learning. At school we aim to help each other to learn how to do this. It is not always easy to live life in this way and so we help each other with the challenges that come along the way.
Everyone who works in and for our school supports its Christian foundation and ethos. Our pupils learn what it means to have a faith, underpinned by strong shared values which are shared across all faiths and none.
There are strong links between our school, our homes, our church and our community.
Spiritual development is at the centre of school life both directly through worship or indirectly through our behaviour policy, our pastoral support and our curriculum. We care about the spiritual development of everyone in our school community.
‘We follow our Christian values and we always put others before ourselves.’ PUPIL
‘The way you feel like you are part of one big family. It is a very individual and personal feeling you get there.’ PARENT
‘The children all love school and are happy. Behaviour is excellent and relationships between staff and pupils are strong.’ PARENT
Personal
DEVELOPMENT AND PASTORAL CARE
At St. Gilbert’s, we value the uniqueness of all our pupils. All staff recognise and work hard to ensure each child feels safe, secure and is able to achieve ‘Life in all its fullness’ and be the best they can be.
Understanding individual responsibility is a key part of our curriculum and ethos. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and for their actions at all times. We are keen for them to develop a high level of social awareness and have a voice.
Our approach to behaviour promotes responsibility for all, ensuring everyone is respected and can learn.
As part of preparing our pupils for life beyond the school gates, we offer a tailored approach to pastoral care based on the needs of the individual child and family. School is not just about making academic progress from our own individual starting points, it is about being happy and developing personal confidence. Our experienced SENDCo and Pastoral Lead also support our families at key times in their lives and are present throughout the journey.
‘Leaders
prioritise pupils’ well-being, including their mental health. Pupils are taught how to stay safe. They say that staff keep them safe. A comment typical of the views expressed by pupils was: ‘Teachers must have some kind of radar system because they seem to know when something is wrong and will pull us aside for a chat to check we’re OK. ’ OFSTED
Partnership
WITH PARENTS, CARERS AND OUR WIDER COMMUNITY
‘A great school that feels like you’re part of a family.’ PARENT
St. Gilbert’s is committed to providing the very best education to our children.
As parents and carers are key to children’s happiness and ability to thrive, we have an open door policy and encourage families to talk with us, with many opportunities for parents to get involved in school activities. We are very proud of the support which parents and carers give the school, many of whom volunteer their time in many different and creative ways.
We have an active PTA (Parents and Teachers Association) who greatly enrich life at St. Gilbert’s. They raise funds throughout the year to buy additional resources for our children and to provide many enrichment opportunities such as school trips and new playground equipment.
We actively encourage links with the wider community through visiting the local area, organising school trips beyond Stamford to enrich children’s learning and by welcoming visitors into school.
Achieving
POTENTIAL
‘Learning appears fun and engaging, yet challenging and provides children with a curiosity to find out more.’ PARENT
A high quality education is key to the development of our pupils which is supported by experienced staff.
We have developed a vibrant curriculum to meet the needs of our pupils. Rich learning opportunities within the classroom, and in the local and wider communities, serve to ensure that our curriculum focuses on developing the whole child and brings learning to life.
As all our pupils have their own unique gifts and talents, we carefully adapt learning to meet the needs of individual pupils. We take real pride in being an inclusive school, where we work hard to meet the needs of all our children.
Our mixed age group classrooms generate a family of learners who support and care for one another. Older children serve as mentors and role models, and younger pupils can further challenge themselves to extend their learning. This dynamic increases independence and fosters the spirit of belonging to a community of learners. Mixed age group teaching at school ensures teachers view pupils as unique individuals and can tailor learning to their needs. They can advance them to the next challenge when ready or provide the opportunity to learn without moving on prematurely. It allows children to look at subjects in more depth and gives them opportunities to explore and use their imagination. This in turn maximises breadth and depth of learning for all.
‘Hands down the best primary school for academic results but still with a family friendly and nurturing vibe.’ PARENT
Enrichment
As part of our vision ‘to live life in all its fullness’ we want our pupils to live an abundant life, physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally.
St. Gilbert’s is a school community that enables our children to have the opportunity to be truly fulfilled in all these areas which in turn gives them balance in their lives. This also supports our key values of Happiness, Courage and Service as pupils experience a breadth in their learning, develop inner courage and learn to serve others. We offer many opportunities for our pupils to adopt leadership roles and through their voice and contribution, all our pupils serve our community and look after our environment. Enrichment gives children a rounded, culturally rich education through activities that enhance their learning and thus develop their character and motivation to pursue wider goals throughout life.
Ultimately children will be equipped to be responsible, respectful and active citizens throughout their lives.
ST GILBERT’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
