Our Ethos, Values and Golden Rules

At Waterside Academy, we want every child to feel safe, valued and proud to belong.

We are an inclusive school where children are encouraged to be curious, work hard and believe in what they can achieve. We recognise that every child is different and work to ensure that each child receives the support, challenge and opportunities they need to succeed.

We want children to enjoy coming to school, develop confidence in themselves and leave Waterside with the knowledge, skills and personal qualities they need for the next stage of their education and for life beyond school.

Our mission reflects our belief that what children learn and experience at Waterside today helps to shape the people they will become tomorrow.

We want our children to leave us as confident, thoughtful and responsible young people who are ready for the next stage of their journey.

As part of the Agora Learning Partnership, we share a set of values that were chosen by children from across the Partnership.

These are also our Waterside values. They describe the qualities we want our children to develop as they learn, grow and become increasingly independent.

A is for Ambition

We encourage children to aim high, believe in themselves and work towards their goals.

G is for Generosity

We encourage children to be generous with their time, their kindness and their support for others.

O is for Optimism

We help children to approach challenges positively, recognise what is possible and keep going when things are difficult.

R is for Respect

We teach children to value themselves, other people, their community and the world around them.

A is for Adventurous and Brave

We encourage children to try new things, take sensible risks, challenge themselves and have the confidence to learn from mistakes.

Together, these values spell AGORA and are woven through school life. They help children understand the qualities we value and the kind of people we hope they will become.

Our Golden Rules provide a simple and consistent set of expectations for everyone at Waterside:

• We show respect.

• We are kind.

• We look after property.

• We keep ourselves safe.

• We try our hardest.

The Golden Rules were developed with the help of our children and are an important part of everyday life at Waterside. They are explicitly taught in classrooms, revisited through assemblies and used throughout the school to help children understand what positive behaviour looks like.

Our values and Golden Rules work together. Our values describe the qualities we want children to develop, while our Golden Rules help children understand what those qualities look like in their everyday choices and behaviour.

We aim to:

• provide high-quality teaching through a broad, ambitious and engaging curriculum;

• create a safe, nurturing environment where every child feels valued and respected;

• have high expectations for learning, behaviour and attitudes across school;

• develop confident, independent learners who are willing to challenge themselves and keep trying;

• help children understand the importance of kindness, respect and responsibility;

• provide opportunities that allow children to discover their interests, develop their talents and experience success;

• work closely with families and our wider community to give children the strongest possible foundations for their future.