Our Christian Distinctiveness is what makes our school special?
Uplowman C of E Primary School is a happy and supportive Christian learning community where we recognise and develop the unique gifts and personal qualities of all.
Our mission is to enable all children to “live life in all its fullness” (John 10:10, the Bible) ... to enjoy a life filled with meaning and purpose, underpinned by Christian values, a love of learning and an eagerness to make the world a better place. We aim to provide an outstanding education for every girl and boy so that all Uplowman pupils will flourish in childhood, adolescence and adulthood - equipped with the knowledge and skills, personal resilience and creativity, and emotional intelligence and social skills that will give them every opportunity to experience lifelong success and happiness in the 21st Century.
We work in partnership with parents and carers (also the parish and local community; the Diocese of Exeter; Devon County Council; Tiverton Town Council and the Uplowman Parish Council) to find ways of ensuring that every child at Uplowman has the chance to discover their strengths within school and beyond.
Our staff and governors are committed to ensuring that our distinctive Christian values (Compassion, Forgiveness, Hope, Respect & Trust) are at the heart of all we do to ensure that every child feels nurtured, respected and proud to belong to the community of Uplowman.
Our five core Christian values
- Compassion
- Forgiveness
- Hope
- Respect
- Trust
We are an inclusive, values-driven school
Uplowman is an inclusive school. Our five core Christian values were selected because they are pertinent to the mission of our school as it serves the local community in a spirit of love and warmth, sensitivity and compassion, ambition and aspiration, hope and peace.
Our staff and governors are committed to creating a warm, welcoming, nurturing school where all children are valued, feel safe and themselves embrace and live by the Christian Values we feel captures the spirit of our school
Mr Badcott (Headteacher) says:
“At Uplowman we have high expectations and ambition for all. We are committed to ensuring all children make rapid and sustained academic progress over time from their respective starting points, high or low. At Uplowman, we are relentless in our commitment to move mountains whenever this is required. This cannot happen unless children feel safe, feel happy and enjoy coming to school, and as Ofsted remarked in June 2017, the school fosters a culture which is open, warm"
What the Bible says about the importance of having values:
“Train children in the way they should go, teaching them to seek God’s wisdom and will for their abilities and talents. Then, even when they are old, they will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6, paraphrased from the Amplified Bible
“Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way.
It is like a light that guides me.”
Psalm 119:105
What school inspectors say about our school's core Christian values:
“Distinctively Christian values are made explicit and deeply embedded in the daily life of the school. Five discrete core Christian values of compassion, forgiveness, hope, respect and trust, underpinned by love, are at the heart of the school and underpin everything the school does, making a positive impact on children’s lives and achievements."
SIAMS “Outstanding” inspection report, February 2018
“(The school) takes seriously (its) responsibility to nurture the whole child."
Ofsted “Good” inspection report, June 2017
What Uplowman pupils say about school values:
The Christian value that helps me with my WORK is...
“HOPE, because I always try my best and want to get better at what I do.”
Y2 pupil
“TRUST, because I trust that the teachers
will help me learn new things.”
Y1 pupil
The Christian value that helps me with my BEHAVIOUR is...
“RESPECT, because we respect everyone around us.”
Y1 pupil
“FORGIVENESS, because when a person makes a mistake they need to begin again. When I was in Year 2, if I messed up I used to get angry and never say sorry and things would just get worse and worse. Now, I count to ten, say sorry to the teacher and make a fresh start. Just like in the Lord's Prayer ... forgive us our trespasses.”
Y4 pupil
“COMPASSION, because we have to look after each other and trees.”
Y2 pupil
The Christian value that helps me with my RELATIONSHIPS is...
“TRUST, because – just like trusting God, it is better when we can trust each other - when everyone is honest.”
Y4 pupil
“COMPASSION, because I think everyone gets on when they treat each other kindly.”
Y3 pupil
“FORGIVENESS, because when I make someone upset I say sorry and they say, ‘That's okay.' Then we are friends again and I feel happy.”
Y2 pupil