Our aim at St. Mark’s school is to provide the best possible education for our pupils, set within the framework of our Christian beliefs. As a Catholic school we recognise that our Faith is not something that we teach at a set time in the Curriculum, on the contrary, it is a way of life and as such permeates and influences all the work and life of the school. The school aims to provide a range of activities that will allow each child’s potential to be fully developed. The skills and learning related to the whole curriculum will be set in the context of the real world, making the curriculum a tool for both learning and life.
The aims of the school are:
- To encourage the children in the values and standards that our Faith upholds.
- To act courteously to adults and fellow pupils.
- To instil regard, within our pupils, for each other and for those outside the school in the local parish community and beyond.
- To develop an understanding and tolerance of other people’s opinions and values.
- To provide a safe, secure and stimulating learning environment.
- To provide equal opportunities for all members of the school community.
- To encourage all parents to work in partnership with the school.
- To promote high standards.
- To develop the basic skills of Literacy and Numeracy.
- To foster and encourage a love of books and reading.
- To raise children’s awareness of the world around them and encourage them to show concern for its people and resources.
- To provide a broad and balanced curriculum.
Christ /Gospel Values
Aims:
- To encourage everybody to live the Gospel values of tolerance, honesty, forgiveness, truth, justice and peace.
- To recognise Christ in everyone we meet.
Objectives:
We will do this by:
- treating everyone with love and respect regardless of race or culture
- promoting the Gospel values through example
- teaching the Archdiocesan Religious Education Programme through the Come and See Scheme.
- celebrating daily Collective Worship together
- sharing whole school and class assemblies
- valuing everyone as individuals
- encouraging all individuals to take responsibility for their own actions
- preparing children for the Sacraments and helping them to understand the importance and significance of the Sacraments
Education
Aims:
- To provide a broad, balanced, relevant curriculum.
- To help each individual to achieve their full potential.
- To make learning fun.
Objectives
- We will do this by:
- Providing a safe, secure, stimulating learning and working environment
- Fostering and encouraging a love of books and reading
- Providing equal opportunities for all
- Promoting a healthy lifestyle and environment
- Valuing different learning styles and catering for their needs
- Providing a good grounding in Basic Skills
- Individual, class and whole school target setting
- Providing a differentiated curriculum for all individual needs including both Gifted and Talented and Special Educational Needs.
- Personalising learning
- Celebrating Focus Weeks
- Learning Mentor support
- Giving pupils a voice through
- School Council
- Circle time
- Wish and Worry box
- Providing a variety of after school clubs
- Being an active member of the Network Learning Community and Southern Area Collaborative
- Celebrating praise assemblies
- Weekly awards
- Breakfast Club
- Encouraging parents to work in partnership with the school
- Encouraging staff to take part in regular CPD
Community
Aims:
- To promote a spirit of partnership within the community that enhances the life of the school
- To promote an open and welcoming atmosphere to all
- To encourage involvement in and responsibility for the local community
- To raise awareness of wider and global community
Objectives
We will do this by:
- Promoting mutual respect within our school community where every individual feels valued
- Looking after the school environment and the wider local environment
- Valuing the work of the School Council
- Providing opportunities for cooperative games
- Fund raising for CAFOD, Good Shepherd and other good causes
- Developing multicultural activities within the curriculum
- Parish involvement in the Sacraments
- Inviting the community to assemblies and other celebrations
- Developing close links with other schools
- Supporting St. Mark’s PTA
- Holding Open Evenings
- Weekly Newsletters
- Visits to local places of interest
- Multi skills club
- Sharing our school building with both Hollies & St. Mary’s Playgroups
