Methodist Independent Schools' Group:

 

MISSION STATEMENT

The Methodist Church is engaged in education as part of its Christian mission in the world. Its schools will seek to extend the Methodist ethos and character and contribute to diversity in education.

The schools aim:

• to be caring Christian family communities committed to the development of the full potential of each individual, having regard for their personal attributes in addition to their academic aspirations;

 

• to maintain high educational standards in all their academic, cultural and sporting activities, stimulating excitement in learning and requiring discipline in study whatever the ability of the child;

 

• to work with and in the communities they serve;

 

• to worship as Christians in the Methodist tradition; to uphold Christian values in practice as well as in theory and to make religious education a strong feature of the curriculum, whilst welcoming members of other faiths (and none) in a spirit of openness and tolerance;

 

• to encourage pupils in a critical examination of the standards and values current in society and to discover and develop a personal faith to guide them throughout their lives.

 

 

TRURO SCHOOL PREP:

ACADEMIC CURRICULUM MISSION STATEMENT

The Mission Statement of the Methodist Independent Schools is uncontentious in its content but necessarily broad in its scope. For it to be translated into practice, particularly in departmental policies and schemes of work, greater focus and detail is needed. While it is well recognised that many of the points identified here will have been long practised by experienced teachers there’s a value in stating them clearly.

Thus we aim:

• To enable our pupils to achieve the highest standards of academic, cultural and athletic achievement of which they are capable.
  
• To provide for the education of all pupils in the School irrespective of their levels of ability. This, where appropriate, includes the provision of special help in order to overcome academic difficulties.
  
• To recognise the co-educational nature of the School and to ensure equal opportunities for, and equal treatment of, boys and girls.
  
• To approach the moral and ethical problems presented in the curriculum in the light of the fact that this is a Methodist, Christian foundation and that Christian values predominate.
  
• To instil a sense of discipline - particularly the self discipline that enables a pupil to make the most of his or her potential but also the imposed disciplines of punctuality, neatness and good behaviour.
  
• To recognise, where appropriate, the region in which the School is situated, the nation to which we belong and the fact that this nation is a part of Europe - for instance in subject matter, use of example and field work.
  
• To encourage teachers to develop their skills and enthusiasms by means of guidance, encouragement, departmental meetings and INSET training, and by implementation of the Staff Review (Appraisal) arrangements.
  
• To record the progress of pupils so that their progress can be monitored and so that expectations of achievement can be appropriate.
  
• To use varied, imaginative and lively approaches to teaching so that pupils are excited and stimulated by the learning experience.
  
• To help pupils to learn to plan their work, to set it out logically and in the appropriate form for the subject matter.
  
• To ensure that our pupils are helped to acquire knowledge from a variety of sources and in a variety of ways - written and spoken word, film and television, in discussion and in didactic teaching, in experiment.

 

• To teach pupils both to work on their own and to work with others.
  
• To encourage effective communication - written, spoken and visual.
  
• To encourage the use of modern technology, for instance in word processing, use of databases etc.
  
• To develop in our pupils a critical approach to ideas, to help develop their thought processes and to encourage them to use their imagination.
  
• To be aware of the demands of the National Curriculum and to follow it, at least in its broad terms.
  

PASTORAL CARE MISSION STATEMENT

1. School life should reflect the school’s Christian values. These values emphasise the absolute importance of each pupil as an individual.

2. The pastoral programme aims to create a safe and caring environment in which pupils feel supported. They should be able to discuss the problems and challenges associated with the progression from childhood through puberty and adolescence to adulthood. Thus pupils will be encouraged to develop socially, morally, spiritually and academically, so achieving the aim of living successful, independent and fulfilling lives, and realising their potential as human beings. The school recognises that there is more to education than academic success, important, though it is.

3. The school’s pastoral care system aims to promote a frank relationship between pupil and staff, and to encourage mutual sharing, trust and respect so that there will be no place for isolation or loneliness. At the same time, the school respects pupils’ right to privacy.

4. Pupils should be encouraged to value themselves and others by recognising their own and others’ strengths, as well as weaknesses.

5. The school aims to ensure that pupils with different cultural backgrounds are welcomed into the school community.

6. Pupils are taught to recognise that actions have consequences and the school’s part should be to encourage them to take this responsibility as early as possible.

7. Pupils are encouraged to broaden their horizons. This will involve an awareness of the conditions and aspirations of other faiths and cultures.

8. The school aims to encourage freedom of opinion, responsibility, frankness, honesty and a spirit of enquiry.

9. The school aims to provide equal opportunities for both sexes. Members of staff are expected to ensure that disproportionate attention is not paid to pupils of either sex, whether singly or in groups.

 

EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME MISSION STATEMENT

1. We encourage all pupils to become involved in at least some extra-curricular activities.

2. The benefits of such activities can include:

(i) the possibility of catching an enthusiasm that might enrich their future life;

(ii) learning a new skill;

(iii) the social value of being with other pupils (often of different ages) and with staff in a non-classroom context;

(iv) the discipline and reward of being part of a team.

3. The school recognises that the Cornish environment offers an unusual range and quality of opportunities and staff are encouraged to exploit this resource.

4. The school recognises the value of team games and understands the needs of such teams if they are to function satisfactorily, while also recognising that other forms of non-team or less strenuous activity may be just as valuable.

 

If a pupil is required to play for a team, they must attend practices and matches. This is in order to make the matches possible and to offer the strongest possible side. It sometimes leads to a conflict of interests and staff running teams will always try to be as flexible as possible, balancing the needs of the team with the claims of other activities.