Mellis Church of England Primary School - 'To Be Our Best'

Mellis School aims to instil a solid work ethic and a clear sense of Christian values for all. We aim to give our children the opportunities to acquire both, and to live in a manner consistent with that aspiration; through the School's chosen values of Courtesy, Attitude, Respect and Empathy.

Luke 6:31: ^'Do to others as you would have them do to you.'

As a Church of England school, Christian values are at our core. This includes the pursuit of excellence and preparing our children to be well-rounded adults of the 21st Century. We invite all children of the School to daily acts of collective worship, where each half-term we explore a different theme based upon 'Values for Life'.

This has guided the development of our curriculum and informs our pedagogical approach in all that we do.

This is also reflected in our School motto:

'To Be Our Best'

We recognise that children are each unique, with different skills, talents, interests and passions. Our goal therefore is to provide equality of opportunity for each child to be the best they can be, and to reach their potential as individuals and as learners.

In this respect we aim to offer a rich and broad curriculum that pays equal regard to the various subjects and strands of learning. We use as our basis the National Curriculum.  We extend the children's overall experience of school through clubs outside of school hours, educational trips and enrichment days and the School's annual Curriculum Fortnight. We aim for every child to have the experiences detailed in the Learning Passport (see left) at least once and in many cases much more. 

Learning in each subject is underpinned by three core ideas for each discipline, which provide a framework for the necessary acquisition of skills and knowledge that builds upon previous learning. These can be seen by accessing the Long Term Plans for each subject on the relevant curriculum subject page. We return to them frequently, giving context and familiar vocabulary in order to build learning. This approach is about making links and building connections.   Purposeful cross-curricular understanding and the detail of deeper learning take their place within this coherent fabric.

This process is started at EYFS, where a fully child centred approach and 'in the moment planning' allows the children to experience their start in school through their own interests. Their progress and experiences is shared with their parents via the 'EvidenceMe' online Learning Journey.

As our children move through the school, they can take advantage of the School's excellent music facilities and expertise, with many of our children taking individual music lessons during the school day. We also place a high focus on the physical and spiritual development afforded by PE and Sports with a dedicated sports instructor and the equivalent of an afternoon each week in terms of curriculum time, as well as regular sports afterschool clubs. We hold the Gold Sports mark, reflecting this excellent provision. Science has a high profile within the School, as does RE, which is taught through the highly rated Emmanuel Scheme of Work. Art is also celebrated, being taught through the nationally acclaimed Suffolk Scheme for Art. Geography and History are used to provide regular opportunties for cross-curricular learning, particularly in English. English development is underpinned by a keen focus on the importance of reading, while writing is framed through the Jane Considine approach. Maths is supported by the White Rose Mastery approach to develop fundamental grasp of key concepts and reasoning skills, while mental arithmetic is promoted via the School's successful use of the Times Tables Rockstars app.

The School also recognises the role of resilience and the importance of mental health in promoting a healthy attitude to their learning and in their relationships. The School has invested heavily in mental health support and intervention programmes, and uses its purpose built 'Hobbit Hut' to support these. We plan opportunities through PHSE/RSE for the children to keep safe and enjoy positive and respectful relationships, and provide occasions that promote key British Values so that the children can understand their rights, and equally their responsibilities to one another.

By the end of their time here, we aim to have instilled a keen sense of ownership in the children's learning; that what we get out is equal to the effort we put in, and if at first we fail then we try, try again. The  children leave the School with a sense of belonging to it which lasts well beyond their time here.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Headteacher Mr Paul Ryle with any queries regardin the School's Curriculum.