Vision, Values and Mission

We believe that learning should be an exciting and life-long process, and that all of our children should be given the opportunity to achieve their full potential both within school and the wider community.

School Aims

• Pupils will be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, achieve economic well being and make a positive contribution to their community.
• Pupils will follow a broad and balanced curriculum recognising the importance of key skills, e.g. thinking skills, creative and cultural education and incorporating the Early Learning Goals, National Curriculum and Religious Education.
• Pupils will learn to become independent, self-motivated and self-disciplined within a firm, yet caring school ethos.
• Pupils will be challenged to expect the best of themselves and others, giving them the confidence and competence to tackle a variety of tasks, seeing them as opportunities to learn.
• Pupils will have high self-esteem, feel happy and secure, and develop positive attitudes to life and themselves in a caring atmosphere.
• Pupils will play an active role in school life and take responsibility for creating a happy, safe, stimulating environment.
• Pupils will be able to question and discuss with enthusiasm.
• Pupils will develop lively, enquiring and creative minds.
• Pupils will be part of a full and effective partnership between families, staff, governors and the community.
• Pupils will develop an awareness of their impact on the world and the value of making sustainable choices.
• Pupils will develop awareness of and respect for the equal worth of individuals, cultures and ways of life, enabling them to foster effective relationships within the communities to which they belong.

Our aim is to equip our children for the next stage in their lives by promoting key characteristics that they must have to adequately prepare them for their future. The key characteristics we felt were important for a young person to have and promote in Modern Britain are:

to show consideration to others, to be respectful to peers; to have a sense of pride in themselves and their learning; to be motivated and engaged in learning; to be imaginative; to be brave enough to take risks; to be trustworthy and take responsibility; to show resilience and not give up.

These key characteristics link with one of our Aspiration Conditions which, in turn, underpin our curriculum.

Behaviour and Discipline
We want all children to achieve their full potential in a happy, safe and cooperative working atmosphere. We aim to prepare our children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. We expect everyone to behave in a manner that shows care and respect for others and the environment.

The school’s Anti-bullying and Behaviour for Learning policies are based on restorative practice and the belief that encouragement is more effective than sanctions. Children are responsible for their own behaviour, and inappropriate choices have consequences (eg. loss of reward time or break time). Good behaviour is positively reinforced and acknowledged with an individual reward system, class reward systems and reward time.  Policies

Discrimination
Harriers Banbury Academy seeks to promote equality of opportunity for all pupils and to develop attitudes and conduct that are appropriate to living in a multi-racial society. We are unreservedly opposed to discrimination of any kind. Discrimination will not be tolerated and will be challenged and treated seriously. Parents will be notified of any such incidents.

Inclusion Statement
Governors and staff at Harriers Banbury Academy believe that an educationally inclusive school is one in which the achievements, attitudes and well being of every young person matter. We actively seek to remove barriers to learning and participation, in order to maximise the life chances of all children and adults, whatever their cultural background, ethnicity, gender, religion, intellectual ability and attainment or physical ability. We are committee to providing a range of high quality learning opportunities for everyone involved in the school. We foster and nurture a positive approach to meeting the diverse needs of every individual.

Religious Education
We follow the Oxfordshire Agreed Syllabus designed to develop children’s awareness of spiritual and moral issues. We aim to give pupils a sensitive understanding of the religious ideas, feelings and beliefs in our community. We study Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam. All pupils take part in studying Religious Education unless their parents ask for them to be withdrawn and an alternative is agreed with the Principal.

This aspect of education seeks to explore why we do things in certain ways to enable us to live together in a peaceful way. We show our children they must have respect for each other, be tolerant of each other’s views, and treat others as they wish to be treated.

We have a period of collective worship daily.