Our expectations

Kindness sits above all things.  Churston is a community of individuals, brought together in a shared endeavour; to learn and grow.  We all bring different experiences, identities and feelings with us to school every day.  Sometimes these are a source of common ground and companionship, and sometimes they are not.  Being tolerant of differences and treating one another, and ourselves, with kindness is vitally important.  Kindness is an affirming and positive mindset.  To be kind is to be considerate, generous and caring.  Kindness is altruistic; we are kind not because we expect some reward or praise in return but because it is the virtuous, right thing to do.  

How parents/carers can support “Be kind” at home:

• Model Kindness: Demonstrate kindness in your own interactions, both within the family and with others.

• Encourage Empathy: Help your child understand different perspectives and consider the feelings of others.

• Promote Respectful Communication: Guide your child in communicating respectfully, even when disagreeing.

• Recognise and Praise Kindness: Acknowledge and praise your child's acts of kindness, both big and small.

• Discuss Online Kindness: Talk about the importance of being kind online and the potential impact of cyberbullying.

At Churston we aim high.  This means being ambitious for yourself, setting yourself challenging goals that take you out of your comfort zone and believing in your ability to achieve them.  We recognise that the most significant barriers to our success are generally those that we put up in our own minds: there is truth and wisdom to the saying, “whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”  Aiming high means asking yourself not, “is this enough?” but instead, “is this my best?”  At Churston we all know and understand that aiming high will sometimes mean that we miss our target; at this school, that’s not just accepted but encouraged, because there can be no real learning and growth without a degree of frustration and failure.   

How parents/carers can support “Aim high” at home:

• Foster a Growth Mindset: Praise effort and perseverance rather than just results, emphasising that abilities can be developed.

• Encourage Goal Setting: Help your child set realistic but challenging goals, and break them down into smaller steps.

• Support Exploration: Encourage your child to explore different interests and step outside their comfort zone.

• Reframe Failure: Help your child see failure as a learning opportunity and a chance to grow.

• Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate your child's achievements, both big and small.

A culture of hard work is a foundation for success for everyone at Churston.  The more (well-directed, effective) effort that you put in, the better the outcomes you will achieve.  At Churston, we value effort.  Working hard is something that you can become better at, and at Churston we teach the skills and techniques that enable hard work to be more efficient and impactful.  Working hard involves understanding the importance of deliberate practice, the process by which we move from conscious to unconscious competence; this is the transition from having to think carefully about how to get something right to being able to get it right without really having to think.  Working hard also means being resilient and persevering.  In an ambitious learning environment like Churston’s you will sometimes need to dig deep to keep going and not give up!

How parents/carers can support “Work hard” at home:

• Create a Supportive Environment: Provide a quiet space and time for focused work.

• Promote Good Study Habits: Help your child develop effective study skills, such as organization, time management, and note-taking.

• Encourage Perseverance: Support your child in pushing through challenges and not giving up easily.

• Value Effort: Praise your child's effort and hard work, regardless of the outcome.

• Limit Distractions: Minimise distractions during study time, such as screen time or social media.

Churston students take responsibility.  This is a central element of the journey from childhood to adulthood that students go on during their time at secondary school; you cannot be a successful, contributing member of wider society unless you are prepared to take responsibility.  At Churston, this means taking responsibility for your own learning and progress.  The way you approach your studies, the work that you put in, the attitude that you show - those are the most significant factors that affect your achievement.  It also means taking responsibility for the choices you make and your behaviour.  A Churston student represents the school; taking responsibility means understanding the impact of your actions on others and acting in a way that means that you do the right thing, even if there’s no one there to ask you to.

How parents/carers can support “Take responsibility” at home:

• Encourage Ownership: Help your child take ownership of their learning, including completing assignments and seeking help when needed.

• Promote Accountability: Hold your child accountable for their actions and choices.

• Develop Problem-Solving Skills: Support your child in developing problem-solving skills and making responsible decisions.

• Foster Independence: Encourage your child to become increasingly independent and self-reliant.

• Discuss Consequences: Help your child understand the consequences of their actions, both positive and negative.