School Distinctiveness
Ormesby Village Infant and Junior Schools is proud to be a Federation that has a distinctive character which is celebrated through our many successes and triumphs. Our close links with our surrounding community is vital and valuable, notably the Parish Council and St. Margaret’s Church within the Ormesby Benefice.
Infant Vision Caption: Learning to Grow; Growing to Learn.
Junior Vision Caption: Aspire - Acquire - Achieve
Our chosen values are clearly defined by the children, staff, governors and parents and are inherent in all we say and do (values that are key to our school, for instance: Friendship is seen when we work and play together respectfully and peacefully resolving differences restoratively with forgiveness and reconciliation at the forefront of our minds.) Through this we nurture children, provide a strong moral background in a secure, safe, inclusive and loving environment whilst raising aspirations in our family community in order that every child goes on to reach their full potential in life. In our community, we truly value every individual and what they have to offer. Our ethos is inherent in our policies and culture.
All stakeholders have an understanding of how the school promotes its values. We respect and value our pupils' voices and they, like all other stakeholders, have open opportunities to raise concerns and suggest possible improvements. Our Governors ensure that the school continues to uphold, promote and celebrate its distinctiveness. Governors visit to support, participate in and monitor an array of important areas for school improvement, such as assemblies, the curriculum and pupil behaviour.
The Church has a strong interest in the success of the school. St. Margaret’s Church welcomes the school to and shares in many events throughout the year. For example, Harvest Festival, Christingle and Remembrance. The school works alongside many external sources towards the common goal of being a proactive influence within our community.
Adapting to the current world situation in light of the pandemic, the school staff encourage and promote parental attendance at and participation in our celebrations both at school and at Church, such as the Family Carol Concert, class assemblies, Nativity productions and Senior Citizens' Lunch to name but a few.
Staff and leaders regularly access training from a multitude of sources and future school leaders are recognised and developed. As Stonewall and Mental Health Champions, the importance of acceptance without exception are vitally important in ensuring our Federation embraces diversity and difference and ensures stakeholder well-being is of the utmost importance.
Through the use of murals, displays, thought provoking posters etc., our values and distinctiveness are evident and respected.
As a Federation of two schools, we want our children to have the opportunity to learn to experience the value of collective worship and to grow in their understanding of themselves. Coming together daily and at events like Remembrance enables us all to share in wider discussion and reflection about societal and global issues that affect each of us.
We believe that at its heart collective worship should provide an opportunity for pupils and staff to come together to learn, reflect, pray, sing, share and communicate their feelings with one another and, if they should wish, with God.
Collective Worship is led by pupils, staff, clergy, Governors and other church members, such as the Open the Book team, who visit to share moral stories with us.
The use of displays such as posters with thought provoking statements from famous people, well-known quotes and creative work displaying our studies from our exciting subjects highlights other ways we promote our distinctiveness. Children have referred to what they have absorbed from these displays during discussions with members of staff.
At Ormesby Village Schools Federation, we have a school prayer written by the Infant pupils, which gives thanks to God for all the special things we are grateful for each and every day. We also have a wonderfully uplifting Federation song.
Our Federation Prayer of Gratitude:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for our school and everyone in our community.
Thank you for helping us to learn and for keeping us safe.
Thank you for putting a smile on our faces each and every day.
Thank you for making us be the best that we can be.
Amen.
Our Federation Song - We Are Ormesby
Every day we come to school with a smile,
Everyone knows we are learning all the while.
We have come together; a caring family,
Helped to grow; to be the best that we can be.
All our voices singing one song loud and clear,
We want you to know that everyone is welcome here.
Our hopes and dreams aimed as high as the highest star,
We are Ormesby and we are proud of who we are.
In all our lessons, new discoveries are made,
On our playgrounds, enjoy the games that are played.
From every classroom, see how all our talents shine through,
With every moment, we all learn something new.
All our voices singing one song loud and clear,
We want you to know that everyone is welcome here.
Our hopes and dreams aimed as high as the highest star,
We are Ormesby and we are proud of who we are.
(Please download the file attachment below to listen to the Federation choir singing this song)
In addition to this, we create reflection spaces for the stakeholders around the premises to enable them to take a moment out of their busy lives to develop spiritually. Pupils are able to write their own reflective statements if they wish. Pupils are invited to share in reflection/prayers during collective worship, before lunch is received or at the end of the day and this is undertaken either through song, through a recital of the schools’ vision captions or through a more formal style.