"As parents, we want our children to be the best they can be. We want them to be good people, who value others and grow up to make a positive contribution to a better society.
At Newquay Primary Academy it is our aim to raise standards by promoting a school ethos underpinned by core human values such as respect, justice, integrity, harmony, trust and honesty. These values support the development of the whole child as a reflective learner within a calm, caring, happy and purposeful atmosphere.
At Newquay Primary Academy it is our aim to raise standards by promoting a school ethos underpinned by core human values such as respect, justice, integrity, harmony, trust and honesty. These values support the development of the whole child as a reflective learner within a calm, caring, happy and purposeful atmosphere.
Values-based Education
Values-based education is an approach to teaching that empowers schools to underpin their life and curriculum with universal positive human values. It creates a strong learning environment that enhances academic achievement and has a profound impact on learners, schools and on the wider community. A positive learning environment is achieved through the positive values modelled by staff throughout the school. It quickly liberates teachers and pupils from the stress of confrontational relationships, which frees up substantial teaching and learning time.
It also provides social capacity to pupils, equipping them with social and relationship skills, intelligences and attitudes to succeed at school and throughout their lives.
Our pupils are taught how values underpin everything we do. We have a statutory duty to promote British values and they are introduced, discussed and lived out here at Newquay Primary Academy through the wider values-based philosophy that infuses the ethos and work of our school.
We believe we are at the foothills of a new era of education, one which is more in tune with our young learners, with their needs and with the needs of society for a sustainable, compassionate and peaceful future.
What does this look like in school?
Schools implementing values-based education are calm, happy and purposeful places. The skills and attributes developed through the teaching of values are known to enhance the curriculum and pupils’ learning behaviours, and raise attainment, attendance and pupil wellbeing.
All curriculum areas provide a vehicle for furthering understanding of values so that pupils can embrace these concepts with enthusiasm and demonstrate a good understanding of their application to their own lives.
The focus on a relational culture nurtures emotional security, which mean they run more smoothly, allowing staff to spend less time managing behaviour and more time on teaching and learning.
Some of the benefits in school are:
- More harmonious relationships between staff and pupils, and amongst staff.
- Happier, more self-confident pupils and staff.
- More motivated, responsible and self-led learners.
- Improved mental wellbeing.
- Better educational outcomes.
- Children and young people who understand the importance of values in their lives.
- Improved resilience of staff and pupils.
- Fewer pupils absences.
- Fewer exclusions.
- Less staff stress/absences.
- Lower staff turnover.
- Less time spent on discipline.
- Greater parental and community engagement.
- Narrowed attainment gap between disadvantaged learners and their peers.
- Greater and spontaneous collaboration between pupils.
The outcome of a values-based education for the learner is ethical intelligence and self-leadership, which enables each individual to work towards fulfilling their wonderful potential.
The wider long-term impact is seen on families and communities. A values-based education emphasises the centrality of all people in society. Learning about values creates a culture of altruism, compassion and justice – which offers an alternative to one based on money and profit.
