Vision & Values

At Highfields Spencer Academy we know that having a positive learning disposition is as important as a strong academic foundation. Therefore, we are teaching our children to embrace learning with excitement and enthusiasm so they are ready to take on challenges without fear of failure.

A positive learning disposition is what we want for every child at Highfields; the ability to face challenges and make progress. We believe every child has the ability to achieve this. Our children are a RAINBOW of possibilities and we will help them to DREAM, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE.

RAINBOW stands for:

Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud

We want our pupils to understand that respect is not just shown to other people but also to themselves, the wider community and our environment.

It is about being polite and courteous but also about developing moral principles and sticking to them.

This includes pupils taking pride and showing respect towards our school in their uniform and appearance, presenting their work to high standards and having pride in their behaviour, being punctual and attending school every day so that they can be the best versions of themselves.

We are focused on becoming a Rights Respecting School and respect the Unicef Rights of the Child.

R – Article 2: All children are entitled to the rights set out in the convention.

Inside every child there is a rainbow waiting to shine.

This is about creating ambitious learners who are not afraid to ask questions and to steer their own learning journey.

We feel it is important to instil the confidence and determination to achieve these goals.

Active and independent learning across a range of different areas and environments is valued and celebrated and making mistakes is seen as a learning opportunity.

A – Article 28: Every child has the right to an education.

Follow every rainbow until you find your dream.

We want our pupils to develop high aspirations and set themselves challenging goals.

Opportunities are given to build social and cultural capital, through a wide range of engaging, challenging, enriching, interlinked interactions, experiences and knowledge sharing which will help our children to develop into proactive learners.

We are committed to become an inclusion and communication friendly school and are learning Makaton and using PECS to help pupils to communicate with others.

I – Article 29: Every child has the right to develop their personality, talents, mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.

If one has courage nothing can dim the light that shines from within.

We encourage and support our children to develop a sense of pride in themselves through our nurturing, supportive environment.

This is the belief that every child can succeed.

Pupils will be happy and thrive in an environment where they all feel included, all have opportunities to shine and all our proud of our school.

N – Article 14: A child has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

Individually we are a colour, together we are a rainbow.

We aim to help children understand that everyone has the right and the capacity to achieve no matter the challenges they may face.

We recognise the value of teamwork and give children the opportunity to contribute, collaborate and develop their voice in school and to also develop leadership skills through our extra-curricular provision and through pupil voice in our work towards becoming a Rights Respecting School and our School, Food and Eco councils.

B – Article 23: A child with a disability has the right to enjoy a full and decent life.

When it rains look for rainbows, when it’s dark look for stars.

Our role in the local and global community is celebrated and enhanced through our learning and extra-curricular opportunities.

We are proud to belong to the wider family of Spencer Academies Trust schools and recognise the strength and support this open, collaborative approach gives us with all members of our school community.

Outdoor learning is celebrated and integrated into all year groups to help pupils appreciate and respect the environment around them. All pupils in school are offered the opportunity to attend Forest School and we are an Opal Play school which means that we embrace active outdoor learning during playtimes and lunchtimes.

At Highfields we truly value the importance of play, and the deep levels of curiosity that every child brings with them. We aim to provide an environment rich in awe and wonder, and the opportunities for each child to become a strong, capable and resilient learner.  

O– Article 31: Every child has the right to rest and leisure, engage in play and recreational activities and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.

You will never find a rainbow if you are looking down.

We want Highfields to be a school that supports pupils academically, physically and mentally.

We will enable and encourage our pupils to become enthusiastic, curious, resilient, confident, open-minded and independent learners who persevere when they have setbacks.

Our Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aiders work with pupils, parents and staff to ensure that everyone in our school community feels loved, cared for, appreciated and is helped to develop the skills they need to cope with a range of situations.

W- Article 3: In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.

Our Aims

Highfields Spencer Academy will be a school that grows with the community with a focus on providing a high quality standard of education for all of our pupils. These are our aims:

Excellence in Learning and Teaching

At Highfields Spencer Academy we have a strong belief that every child has the right to a quality education regardless of background or ability, and have an entitlement to the opportunity of a secure progression route in their learning and development. We are a learning community that practises inclusivity, innovation, collaboration and flexibility, while inspiring and nurturing lifelong learning for students and teachers. We strive for excellence by ensuring that our practices are based on current and informed research. We hold ourselves accountable for the outcomes we achieve.

Raise Standards through the RAINBOW Curriculum

The ‘RAINBOW’ curriculum at Highfields Spencer Academy will challenge and stimulate our children into asking searching questions, shape their learning and enable them to develop into independent critical thinkers and learners. Our ‘RAINBOW’ curriculum is rooted in the principles: Meaningful, Engaging, Valuable and Challenging. A great curriculum coupled with effective teaching will lead to fabulous outcomes.

Raise standards by involving families, parents and the community

We believe that it takes a community to educate a child. Home-School partnerships are crucial in allowing our children to be happy, successful individuals, therefore parents will be regularly informed of their child’s learning, will be invited to join their children in lessons and will be encouraged to attend creative and curriculum workshops. We aim to ensure that parents are ever present in the learning process. We aim to put community at the heart of our school and of our teaching and learning by encouraging involvement with the locality to add an extra dimension to our children’s learning.

Staff Training and Succession Planning

At Highfields Spencer Academy we build lifelong learners and our staff are always motivated in developing their own practice. We endeavour to ensure that our staff are highly skilled and that we provide continued professional development opportunities from the Trust and Teaching Alliance to help them to continue to develop themselves and provide the highest quality teaching and learning opportunities for the children.

Unlock potential

We have high expectations and have strong belief in all children achieving greatness with a desire to unlock, release and liberate potential being integral to everything we do. We will strive for excellence, remove barriers and ensure that all children receive a day rich in teaching and learning experiences. We will give pupils to opportunity to be independent and collaborative and use coaching partners to develop great learning habits. No moment in learning will ever be wasted. We strive to inspire our children, empower them and watch them develop a lasting love of learning and a sense of curiosity in the world around them through our ‘RAINBOW’ curriculum.