the camelsdale way

A Flying Start to a learning Life

1. FOCUSED LEARNERS

Members of our Camelsdale Community will have developed good thinking skills. They will know how to learn, what sort of learner they are and how they learn best. They will have built Good Learning Power.They will know how to stand up for themselves in a democracy.

Look at….

• Our focus on learning rather than teaching. We have a strong learning culture.
• The way the activities are planned for our very creative curriculum journey.
• The evaluations of the children as LEARNERS.
• Our displays.
• The Independent Research Projects, Learning Journals, Talks and other recorded learning.
• The way we ask lots of questions – we are creative learners.
• How we talk a lot about learning and ourselves as learners. Children are made aware that we all learn in different ways. Teachers promote meta-cognition.
• The atmosphere and culture across the school……we are all passionate and infectious about learning.
• How we are focussed on “learning” rather than “work”.
• How we are interested in knowing about our brains and what we need to help us to learn best.
• Our focus on Building Learning Power.
• Our learning banners.
• How we make links in our learning and use mind maps.
• Our reports – we assess ourselves as learners.
• The way we evaluate our learning and give the teacher our feedback.

2. INDEPENDENT & TEAM PLAYER LEARNERS

Members of our Camelsdale Community will be responsible and able to learn independently as well as part of a team. They will be encouraged to be actively involved in the life of their school and its community and become responsible citizens- engaging with and learning from other generations.

Look at….

• The class, school and Rother Valley School Councils.
• Our PSHRE lessons and independent reading times.
• Year 6 link with Hammer Over 60s Club.
• Our link with Shottermill House and Bramshott Grange- connecting older and younger people together.
• Our links with the community eg: harvest parcels, fundraising, Christmas and Easter Celebration, Choir contributions, our Spanish link and residential trip for year 6 to Burgos, Spain.
• Our links with St Stephen’s and St. Peter’s Churches.
• The way we behave in lessons, at playtimes around the school and on trips.
• Our homework, IRPs, Class  Talks and Learning Journals.
• The commitment to our house and sports teams, clubs, singing and music.
• The duties we perform. Eg: House Captains, assemblies, Junior Road Safety Officers, class helpers, playstore, Sports Ambassadors, Prefects, Panda Pals, Head Boy / Deputy Head Boy and Head Girl/ Deputy Head Girl, Digital leaders, School Blogger.
• Our Junior Market Day Project and Junior Giant Sleepover.
• Our Guardianship of Marley Common and the sustainable use of resources in Wild School.
• Our Eco School and Fairtrade School work led through the School Council.
• Our Community Service Work – our jobs around the school.
• Our School Travel Plan work.
• Our Class Charters.
• Our performances in the Rother Valley Arts Festivals.
• The way the children are involved in the leadership and management of the school, eg: The Big Book of Opinions,  involvement in reports and participation in our annual staff/governor tea.
• Gifted and Enrichment Days.
• How we independently use the Drop off Zone and look after our belongings. We come into school independently.
• Our “Grow It, Cook It, Eat It” lessons.

3. RESPONSIBLE LEARNERS

Members of our Camelsdale Community will be well behaved, polite, kind and considerate. They will be encouraged to enjoy their learning and time at school. They know that their actions have consequences for which they are responsible.

Look at…..

• Our School Rules which we all help to create!
• The way we conduct ourselves in lessons, around the school, at playtimes and on visits.
• How we talk to and care for  each other and show empathy for each other e.g: Buddy Bench, Panda Pals, Prefects.
• The way we feel comfortable about speaking out and sharing our ideas, views, opinions and feelings e.g: in class , talks, presentations, during assemblies.
• The way we enjoy being at Camelsdale – see our surveys.
• How we are polite and respectful to others and welcome to visitors.
• How children and adults congratulate each other….we are proud of other’s achievements.
• Our achievement and  sharing assemblies and our Golden Wall of Achievement.
• Our Class reward schemes, e.g: marble jar, smiley faces, house points, raffle tickets, behaviour points, Star of the Day, Pat the Polar Bear etc!
• The feedback we receive from members of the public regarding our conduct on trips and from visitors to the school.
• Tea with Mrs P for “Marvellous Manners & Brilliant Behaviour” on Fridays!

• How we help each other to learn.

4. RESILIENT LEARNERS

Members of our Camelsdale Community will be confident and believe in themselves as they head towards an uncertain landscape of jobs in the future.  They will know their strengths and areas for development. They will accept mistakes can happen and can be a good thing. They are prepared to take appropriate and safe risks in their learning and have a go.

Look at……..

• The children’s confidence.

• Our Independent Research Projects, Learning Journals, Talks, Assemblies, Performances, Show and Tell sessions, year 6 Prefect Tours, visits.
• The way the children stick at their learning! They know to try not to give up! 
• The fact that our curriculum journey is based on questions, creative thinking and that it is ok to question answers.
• The children are not afraid to speak up and ask for help. There is a good level of trust between us all.
• Year 4 assertiveness workshops, ELSA work.

How children know their own strengths and areas to work on.

• The way the children agree specific learning and progress targets and review them with their teachers and parents e.g: at parent’s evenings, report writing time and in “My Special Time”.  We know our targets/ next steps.
• How learning is marked and feedback given. We may use peer assessment too.
• The fact that any testing that takes place is used diagnostically to inform next steps in the learning journey.
• The way we reflect on ourselves as learners using our reports.
• Our staff are always learning through a strong culture of Professional Development and Training.
• Our School Self Review processes e.g: Teaching Assistant Forums, our Self Evaluation Form (SEF) and The Children’s Book of Opinions of Our School (Children’s SEF).

How children know mistakes can happen and can be a good thing.

• How the children are actively encouraged to be “brave have-a-go learners” – Teaching staff not afraid to withdraw support when appropriate! Children choose their own level of learning.
• How children are involved in considering the risks encountered on trips.
• How Wild School provides many opportunities for assessing risks for one self and others and taking responsibility for one’s own safety and that of others in the group.

5. FIT AND HEALTHY LEARNERS

Members of our Camelsdale community will have developed a responsibility for their personal  health, fitness and spiritual and emotional well being and the benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating. They will have a secure sense of self.

Look at…..

• Our PE lessons (and those with external sports coaches).
• How we learn outside the  classroom!
• Our very special playtimes….we have LOTS to do eg: our path, Be-Bop Tower, trim trail, maze, field , train, boat.
• The extra-curricular clubs, e.g; running, netball, dance, football, judo, gym and green goblin car building
• Our healthy lunches in Humphrey’s Café , our  healthy snacks and our  free  fresh fruit and vegetables for all pupils every day!
• How we like to drink lots of water and all have our own water bottles.
• Our science and technology work on healthy food and our bodies. Our “Healthy Us in a Healthy World Week”.
• Our PSHRE lessons. E.g. drug education, anti bullying, sex & relationships,   fire/police/beach/rail and road safety.
• Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Literacy is specifically taught.
• The way we feel our school is a safe place to be and people listen to how we feel about things e.g. School Council, Panda Pals.
• Our outside physical activities with other schools, e.g: sports tournaments and festivals.
• PGL School Journey to the Isle of Wight with lots of Outdoor and Adventurous Activities.
• Our  House Swimming Gala, House Sports Day and Inter-House Competitions.
• Our assemblies.
• Our Forest School work.
• Children are encouraged in “Wild School” to appreciate simply “being” in the natural environment.
• Our “Grow It, Cook It, Eat It” lessons.
• The “ Daily Mile” Run Challenge.
• Our work with our ELSA when we need extra support.
• Our walking bus and walk to school weeks. Our Junior Road Safety Officers.
• Our memory garden – a helpful emotional place outside.
• Regular focus on hand-washing and sleep.
• How, as a team, we keep up to date with our first aid, asthma, auto-injector training and have a very proactive Health, Safety and Premises Committee.
• Our work with PC Phillips as part of our Drug Education, stranger danger and risk spotting.

6. RESPECTFUL LEARNERS

Members of the Camelsdale Community will have developed an awareness and appreciation of their own culture and heritage and that of the wider world...respectful of other races, disabilities, gender, religions and ways of living; mindful of living an eco/sustainable way of life to protect the Earth's eco-system and our need to be responsible and competent global citizens.

Look at……

• RE lessons eg; visits to the Church, Cathedral, Hindu Temple and Mosque.
• Our Single Equality Statement and our Accessibility Plan.
• Our promotion of British values. eg The Royal Society of St George link, Year 5 democracy Houses of Parliament focus.
• Our use of IT eg: computers,  the internet, emails and Skype to Spain , parent emails in Pandas to make links with the wider world.
• PSHCE eg: learning about bullying, citizenship, caring and sharing.
• The Year 4 study of the Amazon rainforest , the global village and Flat Stanley’s travels; Year 2 study of China; Year 1 study of Indonesia, Year 6 study of Greece and Spain, Year 5 study of Egypt.
• The Year 4 topic on World War 2; Year 2 on Victorian Britain and Year 5 the UK theme.
• Our local and national celebrations, eg: The Olympics, St. George’s Day.
• The visitors to our school, eg: Disability Awareness Week, NSPCC.
• The celebration of special assemblies and festivals, eg: Harvest, Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Sukkot, Hanukah, Remembrance Day, Children in Need, Love in a Box, Chinese New Year, Sports Relief, Fair Trade week, WWF Wear it Wild Day.
• Some of the IRPs from around the world.
• Lessons linked with food production including cooking from different cultures.
• Spanish lessons throughout the school and Year 6 trip to Spain.
• Our link with ChinaUK and hosting Chinese children.
• Specific lessons on diversity and promotion of an “it’s OK to be different” philosophy through events such as Odd Socks Day ,Wacky Hair Day.
• Our choir and music lessons – we sing songs from other countries.
• The sports we play eg: football, cricket, rounders, tennis, stoolball.

• Visits to  Parliament.

• Our link with other members of our community, eg: Year 6 link with Hammer Over 60’s.
• Our incorporation of  global citizenship into our Geography skills progression.
• Financial capability lessons – Metro Bank Link and Junior Market Day.
• Our Fairtrade Week and its associated learning. We are a Fairtrade School.
• Our Eco Schools Green Flag!

7. CARING LEARNERS

Members of our Camelsdale Community will make the most of the school grounds and the local environment.  They will have developed an understanding of and a respect for the natural world and their place in it. 

Look at……

• Year 5 Guardianship of Marley Common with the National Trust.
• Playtimes in our grounds…….whatever the weather! We all have wellies in school.
• Lessons in or based on the grounds and the local area.
• Visits to local places – Haslemere Museum, the local Church, walks to Marley Common.
• The way we look after and develop our grounds, eg: bulb planting, working parties, Ground Force days each term.
• Our  occasional assemblies in the grounds.
• Events in the grounds, eg: school giant sleepover, picnics , sports day, fete and the Big Tidy Up!
• Our Eco Green Flag !
• Our Walk to School Week work, Bikeability Course, Walking Bus, Footsteps Road Safety Programme.
• Our picking and using fruit from our grounds and  our mud kitchen in the secret garden.
• Growing in our school gardens.
• Bird club in the Secret garden at lunchtimes.
• Outdoor learning in all year groups.
• Our “Wild School”/Forest School lessons and “Wild Play” for Pre-school.
• Our “Grow It, Cook It, Eat It” lessons.
• Our Year 5 Junior Road Safety Officers.
• Year 6 link with South Downs National Park and the John Muir Award.

8. CREATIVE LEARNERS

Members of our Camelsdale Community will have the opportunity to develop their potential as fully as possible through experiencing a broad, balanced, creative and rich curriculum journey. They will be encouraged to be enthusiastic about learning and learn through first hand experience wherever possible. They will have acquired good basic skills in English, Maths, Science and Computing, be ready for the next stage of their education and be learning how to be adaptable in preparation for their future changing world of work.

Look at……..

• The way our curriculum journey is planned and linked…the time, effort and thought that is involved. Our curriculum is exciting…a “Magical Experience”.
• How staff are enthusiastic learners too.
• Our work in our Rother Valley Locality of Schools and with TESLA Teaching School- we train the adults as well as the children.
• The children’s learning itself…….their response to the curriculum learning journey.
• Our Journals which we proudly display.
• All the trips, visitors, performances, focus weeks and extra-curricular activities, e.g. Disability Awareness Week, Book Week, Market Day, My Money Week, Maths/English/Science Weeks and  our link with  Jueces de Castilla School in Burgos, Spain and China UK.
• Our learning in our outdoor classroom.
• Our enrichment programme, early morning workshop sessions and our enrichment activities.
• Our Junior Independent Research Projects, Learning Journals and class talks.
• Our peripatetic music lessons in ukulele, violin, guitar,  piano and recorders.
• Our use of interactive Clever Touch boards….bringing the world outside into our classrooms.
• Our website.
• Our IT infrastructure.
• Our work on Arts Mark and The Discover and Explore Arts Awards for our children.
• Our links with Midhurst Rother College, Woolmer Hill, Bohunt and several Independent Schools  for some specialist teaching and resources.
• How we capitalize on the learning potential from national events.