At Leonard Stanley, our vision—“Loving and Learning together, for life, as Jesus taught us”—is the foundation of everything we do. It shapes an inclusive and nurturing environment where children and adults alike are empowered to be themselves and flourish academically, socially, and spiritually. Rooted in Christian distinctiveness, reflecting the parables Jesus taught us, our vision ensures that every individual matters, reflecting the parable of the lost sheep. This principle is evident in our SEND and disadvantaged provision, our broad curriculum, and the strong sense of community that defines our school. Evidence can be seen in our provisions that we offer the children which include academic, social, mental help and physical development in addition to our extensive work with families.

Using the words Jesus taught us, our values were crafted from further parables which enable children to flourish with our commitment to values for life: Kindness, Respect, and Resilience. These values are explored weekly through collective worship and reinforced by biblical parables. Evidence of this can be seen in our hall display illustrating our three key parables and h0w they relate to our core values and weekly value stickers presented to children in Friday’s worship. Children are celebrated for living out these values, receiving recognition during worship through awards and stickers. This consistent emphasis and restorative behaviour policy helps pupils develop character and equips them for life beyond school. The school also engages in daily check in using colour monsters and a weekly My Happy Mind session to help children with self-regulation and foster friendships.

We believe flourishing is holistic, meaning we want our children to flourish physically, mentally, academically and in their relationships with others. Academically, children access an aspirational and practical curriculum that was crafted to ensure children leant a curriculum (Learning) that reflects local context, cultural capital, and cultural diversity, is practical and prepares them for the next stage of their education (For Life) Our curriculum in its entirety can be seen on our school website in addition to evidence of opportunities and impact..  It is designed to meet diverse needs, Intervention groups provide targeted support in reading, writing, and maths, ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed. Beyond academics, pastoral care is paramount. Initiatives such as chat clubs, play therapy, and one-to-one support foster emotional well-being, while activities like fizzy and sensory circuits promote physical development. These provisions create a safe space where children feel valued and supported.

Spiritual growth is central to our ethos. Regardless of personal beliefs, we encourage children to develop a spiritual awareness and Love of themselves, others and the world around them. For example, during our Vision day in the Autumn term, children had the opportunity to take part in activities to enhance our environment by paining our fences, Opportunities for reflection are woven into daily life—through collective worship, end-of-topic reviews, and prayer. Reflection journals allow pupils to record thoughts, feelings, and questions, nurturing curiosity and self-awareness. Each classroom also has a “Moments of Joy” bottle, capturing special experiences that celebrate positivity and gratitude.

Our curriculum extends beyond traditional subjects to include life skills that prepare children for the future. Pupils engage in sports, cooking, first aid, design technology, and even sign language. Technology is integrated meaningfully, and our reading-rich environment exposes children to a wide range of genres and authors, fostering a lifelong love of learning. There is also a rich extra-curricular programme, a plethora of trips and enrichment opportunities including a Y6 residential to Viney Hill.

Children are provided with daily collective worship which provides opportunities for bible stories, hymns, prayers and reflection. A bespoke collective worship plans includes Open the Book, weekly musical themes, dedicated class worship and fortnightly collective worship with the pre-school and reception class.

Religious Education adheres to the Church’s statement of entitlement and the children follow the revised Gloucestershire RE scheme. This scheme allows children to question, reflect, collaborate and explore Christianity and other world religions in the context of the modern world. Following book looks and children’s voice the scheme has been well received and has provided a world view approach which has enabled debate and reflection.

The school fosters pupil councils which include a worship team, school and eco council and a sports council. These have democratically enabled the school to have a chosen school charity, run sports clubs during lunchtime and had an approach to care for our environment. Some children have taken courageous advocacy further and developed their own sports clubs and taken upon themselves to fundraise and raise awareness of key issues. This can be demonstrated by a Year 6’s animation club, a Year 3’s poster on Minchinhampton common and specific fundraising for a local food bank.

Community is at the heart of Leonard Stanley and we ensure children benefit from community cohesion. Togetherness is evident in our collective worship, shared celebrations, and collaborative learning experiences. Staff model kindness and respect, creating a culture where resilience is nurtured and achievements are celebrated. This sense of belonging enables children to thrive, grow in confidence and develop strong interpersonal skills. Our FOLSS team raise funds and provide out of school resources such as our swimming pool which serves our school and local community. The school is also utilised by local football clubs, yoga and other events. The school is also in partnership with our local church, St Swithun’s, and local school clusters (SAS) and a specific set of HUB schools.

In essence, Leonard Stanley enables children to flourish by combining academic excellence, spiritual and physical development, and emotional well-being within a caring Christian framework. Our vision ensures that every child is valued, supported, and inspired to live life to the fullest—loving and learning together, as Jesus taught us.