The Willowbank Way – Our Vision, Aims and Values
We pride ourselves on the school’s positive, welcoming and supportive ethos. Our recently refreshed vision, values and aims help us achieve this.
In line with the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence, we aspire to provide all of our pupils with access to the highest quality of learning and teaching in order to maximise their successes and encourage and celebrate achievement in its broadest sense.
Our school vision and motto is “Be the best you can be”.
Our school aims are to:
• Provide an exciting, inclusive and communication-rich ethos where every pupil and member of staff is resilient, safe and confident to reach their full potential.
• Deliver modern, exciting and innovative teaching which allows every learner to develop their independence, talents and skills and celebrate their successes.
• Embrace the Team With The Family approach, working with all stakeholders to minimise the barriers of Additional Support Needs.
• Promote positive relationships, led by highly skilled, nurturing staff who have the confidence and skills to take risks and embrace new ways of thinking.
Our school values are centred on the Wellbeing Indicators of Getting It Right for Every Child:
Safe
• I feel happy and safe.
• I know who to go to for help.
• I am listened to.
Healthy
• I eat well and have friends.
• I am active and looked after and encouraged to make healthy choices.
• I have good mental, physical and emotional health.
Achieving
• I am encouraged to be the best I can be.
• I develop skills for life.
• I get to share and celebrate my talents and achievements.
Nurtured
• I am given opportunities to try new things.
• I know that people know me and care for me.
• I am nurtured and loved.
Active
• I have fun and am active in body and mind.
• I get a chance to share my learning and achievements.
• I am encouraged to play, explore, create and learn in a way I enjoy.
Respected
• I am given a voice and I am listened to.
• I make decisions about my school.
• I make decisions about my life.
Responsible
• I can make good choices.
• I care about my local and wider environment.
• I can help others and take on responsibilities.
Included
• I belong in my class, school and community.
• I can help others feel included in play and learning.
• I know my individuality, identity and personality are accepted and celebrated.
Celebration of success is integral to what we do. We celebrate success and achievements daily, weekly, termly and yearly. This includes Head Teacher Awards, Star of the Week and Well Done Certificates at Assembly, termly Certificates for Achievements and Targets, and Annual Prize Giving.
School Rationale
Willowbank has a clear rationale based on the school’s shared motto, values and aims. We are a vibrant learning community where young people are at the centre of everything we do. The school has a clear rationale based on the school’s shared vision of working together to inspire skills for learning, life and work. We prepare young people for life beyond school, encouraging independence, communication, self-confidence, realistic attitudes to Further Education, work and leisure.
A broad and general education is provided for all young people from P1-S3 and there is range of flexible progression routes into the senior phase to meet the needs of all young people developing the young workforce from infants to senior phase.
High priority is given to providing enjoyable and challenging learning in a range of relevant and motivating contexts which develop the skills for the 21st century where highly motivated young people are enthusiastic in their learning, proud of their achievements and encouraged to be actively involved in their learning.
All pupils are offered an extensive range of opportunities to learn across the four contexts of learning including curriculum areas and subjects, inter-disciplinary approaches, the local community and opportunities for personal achievement across all stages.
The promotion of Health and Wellbeing underpins much of the curriculum to provide a supportive and inclusive learning environment. There are opportunities for developing skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work with a continuous focus on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.
A key strength of the school’s curriculum is the extensive range and high quality of contributions from an effective team and partners which provide inspirational learning experiences for young people. This collaborative approach, and partnership with parents, puts children and young people at the heart of everything we do.
We have developed a comprehensive and strategic approach to providing a progressive interdisciplinary learning framework across the school. Every young person in the Senior Phase of school achieves SQA certification. We offer a huge range of choice within our Senior Phase including choice around vocational studies: skills for life and work.
