Visions & Values - Edna G Olds Academy

Our Vision

Through outstanding leadership we, at the L.E.A.D. Academy Trust, will provide the highest quality education to enable every pupil to realise their full potential.

Our Aims

To achieve our vision we prioritise the four core aims for which our name stands:

Lead – To show the way; to be first or foremost.

In every aspect of life the ability to lead is essential. Strong leadership is the key to the success of our schools. We will develop leadership skills in everyone who attends one of them, ensuring the development of pupils as leaders of their own learning.

Empower – to give power to; to enable

At L.E.A.D. Academy schools pupils are empowered to have high aspirations for their futures. We nurture and challenge pupils to take responsibility, make decisions and work together so they grow into confident and resilient young people.

Achieve – to accomplish; to get or attain by effort

We believe in achievement in its broadest sense and that enjoyment of learning is crucial to success. We continually look for and reward achievement in every individual in our schools. We also know that a strong command of English and maths is vital as a foundation for the whole curriculum and prioritise learning in these core subjects.

Drive – to cause and guide progress; to impel forward

We will provide the very best education and training for every individual in our schools and will ensure that this is delivered. We value excellent teaching, underpinned by high quality professional development and will constantly move forwards, using and instigating the best ideas and practice.

We also understand that children need to be motivated if they are to succeed in life and we will provide a stimulating curriculum and environment which will prepare them for their futures with confidence and determination.

British Values

At Edna G. Olds Academy our school population reflects a truly rich and diverse community. Together, we pride ourselves on engendering an ethos which fosters inquisition, motivation and respect, as this ensures our pupils thrive and build the strongest of relationships.

Fundamental British Values permeate every aspect of our curriculum provision and are taught as part of an integrated approach. Our pupils’ voices are valued and celebrated within every aspect of teaching and learning provision. We foster a culture that ‘Everyone is a Leader’, and as such, the children’s voices are not only heard but listened to and acted upon, through the work of our three pupil councils (Pupil Voice Council, Environment Council and Eco Council).

As part of our curriculum offer we:

enable students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;
enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;
encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely;
enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;
promote further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions, by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures;
encourage respect for other people; and
encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.

As a result of teaching the above pupils gain:

an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process;
an appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety;
an understanding that there is a separation of power between the executive and the judiciary, and that while some public bodies such as the police and the army can be held to account through Parliament, others such as the courts maintain independence;
an understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law;
an acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour; and
an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.

It is not necessary for schools or individuals to ‘promote’ teachings, beliefs or opinions that conflict with their own, but nor is it acceptable for schools to promote discrimination against people or groups on the basis of their belief, opinion or background.

In conclusion, our unique USP multi-faith context is embraced and truly celebrated within every aspect of our strong RE curriculum and core British values themed work. Our pupils exploit opportunities to:

share an awareness of many faiths;
develop an increased knowledge and understanding about other faith communities, and;
express their enjoyment for learning.

A strong PSHE curriculum underpinned by our SMSC programme assists children in making appropriate choices. Pupils are able to reflect upon their feelings and those of others extremely well, adopting peer mentoring support strategies in order to strengthen partnership working and collaborative learning opportunities. The school’s positive and caring ethos, together with our highest expectations for tolerance, respect, behaviour and learning, ensures all pupils get to truly flourish within an exceptionally calm and harmonious setting.

Visions and Values