South Lee Educate Together National School
is a national school funded by the Department of Education and Skills and run in accordance with their Rules for Primary Schools. It is also a member of Educate Together and therefore follows and supports its ethos.
In South Lee ETNS, every child will learn in a positive, safe, inclusive, democratic, co-educational setting that is committed to enabling and supporting each child to recognize their gifts and to achieve their full potential, while at the same time preparing them to become caring and active members of a culturally diverse society. By cherishing difference, respecting ourselves and others and living the Educate Together ethos, we support each other to become the best we can in school and in life.
It is the responsibility of all school staff, school community and parents to create a positive climate of respect and trust which is conducive to a child’s wellbeing. The promotion of positive relationships is key to this in an ethos that is inclusive, promotes equality, supports learning, and where children and young people feel safe, secure, valued and respected. All staff and partners have the potential to be strong, positive role models for others, leading improvements in health and wellbeing in the school and in the local community. With this in mind, at South Lee ETNS, we have a number of school aims of the environment we wish to create for the children.
At South Lee Educate Together National School;
“A strong and unswerving sense of moral purpose”
Hargreaves and Fink (2005)
1.
South Lee ETNS has to be an excellent school where a high quality of teaching and learning takes place while also reflects the ethos of our patron Educate Together.
The ethos of Educate Together is reflected in the Educate Together Charter which outlines the four pillars of Educate Together Schools. The four pillars of Educate Together state that schools should be:
- Co-Educational
- Equality Based
- Child Centred
- Democratically Run
2.
Wellbeing is a key driver of South Lee ETNS and is prioritized as the school’s central mission.
I wanted the central driver of South Lee ETNS has to be centred around the wellbeing of the whole school community comprising children, teachers, in-school leadership and parents. Accordingly, our school aims at South Lee ETNS are based on the Government of Scotland’s GIRFEC (Getting It Right For Every Child) Wellbeing Indicators outlined below.
At South Lee ETNS, every child should be achieving, welcomed and nurtured, respected, responsible, celebrated and included, safe and healthy and active.
3.
Equity and Inclusion
As stated in the Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Action 2018, all children and young people need access to equitable, fair and inclusive opportunities to develop their wellbeing in ways that are responsive and suitable to their particular needs and contexts. Practices need to be tailored, responsive and relevant, building on the existing strengths of children and young people, school staff, families and school communities. (p.9)
4.
South Lee ETNS is research informed and research generating school.
The previous three vision statements for South Lee ETNS will be developed on a foundation of evidence based programmes. Hence, our school should be a research informed school.
When these evidence-based programmes are embedded in the culture of the school, I then hope for our school to be research generating by promoting action research in the classroom and for all teachers to be reflective practitioners.