Vision and Values
Vision
At St Dennis Primary Academy, we wholeheartedly believe that children learn best when they are happy, feel safe and are engaged. We pride ourselves on nurturing every child and recognising them as an individual with special strengths and talents. Because of this, our children feel good about themselves, are happy and love coming to school. Relationships are central to this, so we value working together with our families and the local community.
Mission Statement
Our mission statement, 'Everyone matters, everyone succeeds, every moment counts' reflects that every member of our school community, including children, staff and families, are important and that through partnership working, everyone can succeed. It also reminds us that we are learning in so many ways, at all times of the school day and beyond.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs - At the heart of Maslow’s theory is the understanding that all human beings are driven by a set of needs. For our children, this means that if their most essential needs, like feeling safe, loved and valued aren’t met, they may struggle to learn, engage or thrive.
When children appear ‘stuck’ or unmotivated, it’s often not about ability, but about unmet needs. Our role is to notice, understand and respond to those needs, creating the conditions where every child can feel secure, connected and ready to grow into the best version of themselves.
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory - Bronfenbrenner’s theory reminds us that every child is shaped not just by what happens in the classroom, but by the many layers of their world: home, school, community and society. These systems interact and influence how children grow, behave and learn.
As educators, we must look beyond the child in front of us and consider the wider context they live in. By building strong relationships, working closely with families and creating a nurturing school environment, we can positively influence the systems around each child and help them thrive.
At St Dennis Primary Academy, our mission statement ‘Everyone Matters, Everyone Succeeds, Every Moment Counts’, is deeply rooted in the work of Maslow and Bronfenbrenner. These two psychological frameworks help us understand not just how children learn, but why they may struggle or thrive.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs reminds us that children cannot reach their full potential unless their most basic needs: safety, belonging, self-worth are met first. When a child feels hungry, unsafe, or unseen, learning becomes secondary. That’s why we prioritise emotional safety, connection and recognition in every classroom, every day.
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory teaches us that children are shaped by the many layers of their world, from their family and school to the wider community and culture. We recognise that what happens outside the classroom affects what happens within it.
By building strong relationships with families, creating inclusive environments and understanding each child’s context, we can better support their development.
At the heart of both theories is the idea that children need to feel they matter, that they are seen, valued and significant. Research shows that when children feel they matter, they are more resilient, more motivated and more likely to succeed. Mattering is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. It’s the thread that ties together our behaviour and relational policy, our curriculum and our daily interactions.
So when we say ‘Everyone Matters’, we mean it and we act on it. Because when children know they matter, they begin to believe they can succeed. Also, when every moment is used to reinforce that belief, we create a school where every child can thrive.
Everyone Matters Focusing on relationships, inclusion, and individual needs. | Everyone Succeeds Focusing on achievement, support, and equity. | Every Moment Counts Focusing on routines, consistency, and proactive strategies. |
One Page Profiles ensure every child is seen as an individual with unique strengths, needs and preferences.
PACE and Trauma-Informed Practice promote emotional safety and connection (Maslow: Love and Belonging).
Restorative Conversations and WINE (Wonder, Imagine, Notice, Empathy) approaches help children feel heard and valued (Bronfenbrenner: Microsystem).
Recognition Boards and Golden Time celebrate every child’s contribution, reinforcing self-worth (Maslow: Esteem).
Relational Health is prioritised between child–adult, child–child, and school–home.
Curriculum drivers include wellbeing, community and oracy, ensuring children feel connected, confident and heard.
School values of aspiration, achievement, courage, responsibility, friendship and teamwork are embedded in daily practice and celebrated.
Real-life experiences including visits, visitors and inclusive curriculum content ensure every child sees themselves reflected in their learning.
| Maslow’s hierarchy is embedded through strategies that meet basic needs first (e.g. calm boxes, movement breaks, safe spaces).
Individual support plans, reward charts and graduated behaviour steps provide tailored scaffolding for children who need more support.
Strategic seating, visual timetables and agreed Trust Walkthrus reduce barriers to learning and ensure high-quality interaction and teaching.
Strong home–school partnerships and multi-agency collaboration reflect Bronfenbrenner’s Mesosystem.
SEND adaptations ensure equity in behaviour expectations, access and support
Personal development roadmaps map out key experiences for each year group, ensuring holistic growth.
Children complete 10 experiences per year, including: outdoor and adventurous, artistic, scientific and technological, cooking, speaking, sporting, writing, musical, performing and just for fun!
Lesson structure based on Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction is consistent across the whole curriculum and directly contribute to academic success, equity and high expectations.
Rewards: Golden time, verbal praise, non-verbal feedback, St Dennis star awards based on core values, headteacher awards, certificates home, class-based reward charts, sharing good news with parents, newsletter mentions, work displayed, social media celebrations, peer praise, lining up tokens, team points etc
All teachers are entitled to regular coaching using StepLab, supporting continuous professional development and reflective practice.
Support staff receive regular training and guidance, ensuring they are confident, skilled and consistent in supporting behaviour and learning across the school. | Signature strategies are known by staff and regularly revisited to ensure consistency in approach, so no time is wasted.
Books are out on tables ready, so lessons start promptly and calmly.
Meet and greet routines, morning tasks and transitional activities create predictability and emotional safety (Maslow: Safety).
Silent signals, lining up routines and smart walking embed positive habits across the day.
Recognition Boards focus on one behaviour at a time, helping children internalise expectations.
Visual timetables and movement breaks support regulation and readiness to learn (Maslow: Physiological and Emotional Needs).
Behaviour monitoring ensures timely reflection and adaptation (Bronfenbrenner: Chronosystem).
Restorative conversations after incidents ensure learning and repair, not just consequence.
Feedforward sessions in every lesson recognise achievement and move learning forward.
Live marking ensures immediate feedback and progress.
Curriculum drivers such as environment and wellbeing ensure that every moment is meaningful and connected to the wider world. |
Core Values
Through collaboration with all members of our school community (pupils, parents and carers, staff and governors) St Dennis Primary Academy decided upon six core values that are at the very heart of all we do:
- Aspiration
- Courage
- Achievement
- Friendship
- Team Work
- Responsibility
Aims
Social, moral, spiritual and cultural learning weave through all aspects of school life.
Teaching is through a challenging and broad curriculum in a safe and stimulating environment.
Development of resilience, confidence and independence provides children with the necessary character traits for lifelong learning.
Every child reaches their full potential and their individual strengths and successes are celebrated.
New and rich experiences, including a wide range of extra-curricular clubs, sporting events, arts and musical experiences, visits, visitors and residentials are planned to deepen knowledge and understanding.
Nurture, support and happiness build self-esteem and physical and mental well-being.
Involvement and engagement in the local, wider and global community encourages empathy, tolerance and responsibility for the world we live in.
Sharing and partnership with parents and carers enable children to make good progress along their learning journey.