Mission Statement

Inspired by our students, our location, our skills and our community, we:

1)   Enable students of all abilities to make outstanding progress beyond their expected capabilities and so gain the qualifications and skills they need to achieve their potential and aspirations

2)   Provide inspiring and creative teaching and a curriculum that promotes independent learning, academic excellence and an understanding of the local and global challenges and opportunities that they will face

3)   Enable students to develop socially and emotionally as individuals, and so gain an understanding of their responsibilities towards society and the positive impact they can make in the world

4)   Support lifelong learning for everyone in our communities

This Mission Statement was first adopted by the Governing Body in June 2011 when Clyst Vale became an Academy and has been subject to several reviews since then. It has served us well and remains our aspiration, inspired by our students and aimed at ensuring the happiness and success of each member of the Clyst Vale community.

Ethos

We are very proud of our ethos, which we believe stands us apart from many schools. We have been committed to the UNICEF “Rights Respecting School” initiative for several years, and it has become entwined with our ethos; our intention is that this will continue until the RRS ethos and the Clyst Vale ethos are indistinguishable.

We believe that every child must be safe and happy before they can be successful. To achieve this, based on RRS, our command words reflecting our ethos are “Respect; Participate; Learn”. These permeate our policies and approaches.

Our ethos strives to recognise the individual child as an individual. We recognise and promote differences. We are passionate about equality and diversity. We prefer to educate rather than punish, although there are times when punishment is necessary to uphold elements of our ethos. We believe that students make mistakes, and that poor behaviour is a symptom of a child’s needs even if unidentified. We believe in community values, and in working with people, especially parents and carers. We believe in being open and honest.

Clyst Vale is often characterised by visitors as a “friendly” school with a “family feel”. This reflects our ethos well. However, there has to be a hard edge, a firmness with the friendliness. We are strongly opposed to prejudice and discrimination, including sexism, sexual harassment, racism, homophobia and bullying. We believe that article 28 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child is fundamental; so we will take firm action if that right is impinged by disruptive behaviour.