Barnhill Community High School

Our Ethos & Values

Our ethos is based upon the values of respect, wisdom, aspiration and community.  Students are challenged and supported to be their best by expert and committed teachers.
 

These values are captured by our school ethos: Together, achieving our best

At Barnhill we believe that every child should develop a life-long love of learning and how to learn successfully.  

We want our pupils to be able to thrive when they leave us and believe that this is best accomplished by working hard and learning from mistakes made to continually improve.  

 We want our pupils to have: 

  • Strong literacy and oracy skills to be able to understand meaning and be confident communicators 

  • Strong numeracy skills to allow for financial independence and to interpret trends and patterns 

  • Strong analytical thinking skills to be able to create, design and evaluate ideas 

  • An appreciation of creative processes and artistic merit 

  • A strong grasp of the key knowledge which underpins learning and thinking in all subjects studied 

  • The fundamental skills, knowledge and resilience to develop long-term physical and mental well-being 

  • An understanding of the diversity and culture of the local, national and international communities of which they form a part

 We will achieve this by:

  • A commitment to teaching and applying the National Curriculum at KS3, 4 and 5

  • Ensuring all lessons build on prior knowledge and address the big ideas that help us to make sense of the world

  • Focussing on the mastery of essential subject specific knowledge 

  • Encouraging students to be participant thinkers in class through debates, analysis and topical application

  • Using the latest research on how we learn and retain information

  • Teaching literacy and numeracy across all subjects

  • Using the curriculum and co-curricula activities to promote British values and citizenship

  • Ensuring that all students, whatever their background, can develop a cultural capital which will broaden their horizons beyond their local environment

  • Ensuring our SEN provision, Careers and GAMA (Gifted and more able) programmes give students a breadth and depth of information about their choices after leaving us

To do this we ensure our staff:

  • Are skilled and knowledgeable subject specialists. (Where staff have to teach outside their specialism we ensure that appropriate training, support and monitoring is in place.)

  • Have the opportunity to teach across KS3, 4 and 5.

  • Have access to curriculum specific CPD opportunities internally and externally

  • Have dedicated time for subject CPD/ moderation and training

  • Can benefit from the support and advice of Lead Practitioners in the school

  • Share best practice with other schools through partnerships such as Challenge Partners

  • Recognise the knowledge and skills that students bring to us in Year 7