Vision and Values
We invited parents and carers to complete a survey asking key questions to help us create a shared identity and a set of aims and values we could all believe in and work towards. At the same time, we asked the same questions of governors, pupils and our staff.
The same themes came up time and time again. This gave us great confidence that we already share a strong vision for Fairfield. We use that shared vision to develop a clear sense of identity.
Academic Aims
As part of the surveys, we asked: “If a child leaving Fairfield could be really good at three things, what would you want those things to be?”
Of course, we want our children to be good at many things, but asking this question helped us all identify our top priorities. From everyone’s responses, our three main academic drivers are for children to be:
If children are knowledgeable, they will understand more about the world around them and be able to learn more easily over time, as knowledge connects together. If they are articulate, they will be able to express their knowledge clearly and share their thoughts and feelings with confidence. And if they are fluent readers, they will be able to access a vast world of information, as well as find joy in the written word.
Personal Values
I also asked which three personal characteristics parents, carers and staff would most want us, as a school, to nurture in children. Again, many qualities are important, but the same three came up again and again. As a result, we focus on:
If children are resilient, they will learn to give things a go, believe they can do hard things, and try to stick it out when times are tough. If they are respectful, they will grow into fantastic members of the school community and wider society. And if they show empathy, they will understand how others are feeling and how their own actions can affect those around them.
Our Mission Statement
These academic aims and personal values naturally intertwine. Being knowledgeable, articulate and fluent readers opens doors, while resilience, respect, and empathy help ensure those doors lead to positive relationships and a sense of belonging. To capture this, we have a mission statement that underpins decisions and interactions. At Fairfield:
“Our mission is to nurture confident, knowledgeable, and articulate young learners who are fluent readers, resilient in the face of challenges, and guided by empathy and respect in all they do.”
Behaviour and the Fairfield Way
For our aims, values and vision to take root, positive behaviour must sit at the heart of school life.
To help with this, we have created shared expectations for behaviour called The Fairfield Way. This is designed to help ensure clarity, consistency, and fairness in expectations and approaches across the school. We teach this alongside the usual curriculum offer.
We have also developed Three Golden Rules for every child at Fairfield. These are:
These rules reflect the behaviour we want to see and support our academic and personal goals outlined above.
