Aims, Values, Ethos

Our Vision, Aims & Ethos:

Grove Academy is a school where every child can feel welcome, successful and included. We want our pupils to:

• Be responsible, fully active citizens who are kind to one another, ready to learn, know how to keep themselves safe and are proud of their achievements
• Develop the confidence to participate in decision making, and have a creative input across the three areas of family well-being, public service and contribution to the economy
• Engage in a curriculum which will encourage problem solving, critical reflection, research and challenge
• Leave school confident in their ability to succeed and able to successfully access the  world of work or further/higher education
• Be able to learn new skills and engage in business markets that no one is yet able to define
• Be the future leaders of our society
• Recognise the importance of creativity and innovation to their future lives

Our Values

Here at Grove Academy, our mantra is:

• be ready
• be respectful
• be safe

This spans everything we do.

Teaching and Learning Charter: The Grove 5

In our classrooms we are committed to five basic principles which will be coherent across every classroom.

1. Relentless Readers

2. Knowledge Retrievers

3. Critical Connectors

4. Quality Talkers

5. Active Learners

All Through Provision – what it brings

Grove Academy is the first all-through school in Slough to open from Early Years Foundation Stage through to the end of Key Stage 4. This underpinned by high-quality teaching and learning and assessment. This continuity ensures that we can avoid the dips in performance associated with transition between schools.

As one school, we are able to draw on the expertise of staff at all phases in planning and delivering our curriculum, developing sequencial learning and a transition currciulum for children as they move between key stage. 

Primary students have access to specialist facilities to enrich and elevate their learning and staff work together across phases to ensure learning is built upon and key skills are fully embedded.

We are committed to providing pastoral care for children in challenging circumstances by offering a ‘joined-up’ strategy and support families more consistently over a longer time.

Promoting British Values

Grove Academy is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom. It also understands the vital role it has in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.

It follows equal opportunities guidance which guarantees that there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar. Grove is dedicated to preparing students for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British values to the whole school community.
The Government emphasises that schools are required to ensure that key ‘British Values’ are taught in all UK schools and set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy.

The five British Values are:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

The school uses strategies within the National Curriculum and beyond to secure such outcomes for students. The examples that follow show some of the many ways that Grove seeks to embed British values.

Democracy
The principle of democracy is consistently being reinforced at Grove, with democratic processes being used for important decisions within the school community, for instance, staff recruitment process and Primary and Secondary Parliament members. The principle of democracy is also explored in the History and Religious Education curriculums at both phases.
The rule of law
The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, school or the country are consistently reinforced at Grove. Students are taught the rules and expectations of the school which are highlighted by the student code of conduct and expectations. Students are taught the value and the reasons behind laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from external speakers reinforce this message.

Individual liberty
At Grove, students are actively encouraged to make independent choices, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Staff at Grove educate and provide boundaries for students to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely, examples include e-safety. Grove promotes an anti-bullying culture and has in place an effective Behaviour Policy.
Mutual respect
Respect is at the core of our school ethos and is modelled by students and staff alike. The school promotes respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning environments. In line with our commitment to mutual respect students at Grove are always able to voice their opinions and we foster an environment where they are safe to disagree with each other. Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum.

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
This is achieved through equipping students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving the opportunities to experience such diversity within the school community. Students benefit from a number of international visitors, including students from other continents and cultures. Additionally, students are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school and celebrate different cultural festivities throughout the calendar year. The Religious Education curriculum, which is compulsory for all students up to the end of Key Stage 4, provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures. Grove strives to ensure that its students leave with the strongest foundation of values upon which to build a successful career and a positive contribution to our society. They are prepared for life.