VALUES

At Lea Forest our mission is pure and simple: 

We will provide an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day. 

With excellent leadership and teaching in every school, we will help children go on to lead successful and happy lives.

We will work with others beyond our network to create capacity in the sector to benefit more children and communities.

Drivers:  High Aspirations, Respectfulness, Resilience, Independence and Innovation.

Our Curriculum Intent at Lea Forest

Lea Forest is a leading school in Birmingham with an enriched, relevant, engaging and innovative curriculum enabling children to uncover a world of possibilities - inspiring each and every child to reach true academic brilliance. By embracing the role that Lea Forest plays within the wider community fostering positive partnerships with parents in and beyond the walls of the school - into the streets, into the town and far beyond - the school ensures children can live remarkable lives.

Our Curriculum Vision at Lea Forest

''To provide our pupils with a wide body of knowledge and skills and an exceptional character to live a remarkable life''.

Our Curriculum Aims at Lea Forest

It is our aim that by the time the children leave Lea Forest Primary Academy to embark on the next stage of their education, they are equipped with the academic skills and knowledge, and have developed the personal attributes needed to enable them to become successful citizens of the future.

Our curriculum is planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has come before. The academic learning is underpinned by a strong emphasis on personal development and social skills so that children make and maintain healthy relationships with others. They learn responsibility and develop a sense of self so that they understand and value their place in the world and respect the same for others. 

The curriculum at Lea Forest Primary Academy's main aim to provide a wide range of learning opportunities and experiences. It is our desire that children and their families value their learning and seize all and make use of any opportunity wholeheartedly, therefore we aim to ensure the offer to learn is strong in every classroom.

Our Curriculum Key Drivers at Lea Forest

Our five core learning characteristics: High Aspirations, Respectfulness, Resilience, Independence and Innovation (HARRI) are our key drivers. These form the backbone of our curriculum with each being built around the five most significant areas of need for OUR children and OUR community. 

1. High Aspirations - 'Do pupils set the bar high?'

2. Respectfulness - ‘Can pupils work alongside others in a supportive climate?’ 

3. Resilience - 'Are pupils able to embrace challenge and learn from mistakes?' 

4. Independence - ‘Are pupils able and willing to steer their own learning?’ 

5. Innovation - ‘Are there opportunities to express individualism and to do things differently?

British Values

At Lea Forest Academy we are proud of our diverse community. Together we share and celebrate the values that are fundamental to British society.  Our learning characteristics of being respectful, independent, innovative, resilient and having high aspirations underpin everything that we do.

Through our school values, curriculum and the experiences we give to our children, we ensure that the children understand the importance of mutual respect, democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law and how these are integral to our everyday life.

Promoting British Values at Lea Forest Academy

The Department for Education state that there is a need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and these values were reiterated by the Prime Minister in 2014. At Lea Forest Academy these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:-

Democracy

Democracy is embedded at the school.  Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern for each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.  Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council and regular questionnaires.  The elections of the School Council members and School General Elections are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced.  Our school rules and value are deeply embedded in our work every day.  Each class also discusses and sets its own rules that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.  Each year group has the responsibility to write rules for the playground, Library and E-Safety.

Our pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.  This includes classroom visits from the emergency services.

Individual Liberty

At Lea Forest, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment.  As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education.  Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely; examples of this can be clearly seen in our clubs, over night residential visits, e-safety and SRE, P.S.H.E. lessons.  Whether it is through choice of challenge; of how they record; of participation in our numerous extra- curricular activities; all our pupils are given the freedom to make choices. 

Mutual Respect

Respect is one of the core values of our school and it is deeply embedded in our class rules and all that we do at the school.  The pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have.  The core value of Respect at Lea Forest Academy underpins our work every day both in and out of the classroom.

Tolerance of Those With Different Faiths And Beliefs

Our core value of Respect ensures tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs.  Lea Forest Academy enhances pupils understanding of different faiths and beliefs through religious education studies and P.S.H.E. work.  Beliefs, traditions and customs will be studied in depth, with visitors being invited in to our school to enrich and extend understanding.  Through this our pupils gain an enhanced understanding of their place in a multi cultural and diverse society.