Garth Primary is a learning community in which everyone is encouraged to ‘Reach for the Stars’.

At Garth Primary School children love learning. They are encouraged to strive for excellence and to reach above and beyond their expectations. We aim for all our children to become ambitious and capable learners; enterprising and creative contributors; ethical and informed citizens of Wales; and healthy and confident individuals.

We are committed to providing a secure, happy and nurturing environment in which each child is valued and equipped with the necessary skills that enable them to become independent learners.

Our aims, regardless of needs, background or religion are to include all children equally and to provide stimulating and challenging learning opportunities to develop autonomy, confidence, creativity and self esteem.

We believe that every child matters and has important skills and talents that will equip them for success in life. We are committed to nurturing these skills and talents and to celebrate every child's achievement, great and small.

AIMS

At Garth, the school community cares about excellence and each other; in promoting enjoyment and happiness through fulfilment, the school community believes in the following:

Respecting the Rights of the Child

We are a ‘Rights Respecting School’. We adhere to the United Nations Convention of the ‘Rights of a Child’ in all that we do. The Convention shapes the culture and the ethos of our school and it is embedded into the learning experiences we provide. Children recognise their rights and are encouraged to respect the rights of others. Adults know their responsibilities in ensuring children can access their rights at all times. Integral to the Convention is a child’s right to be heard and to have a say in the decisions made about them, at Garth we place a high value on pupil voice and pupil participation.

Everyone Matters

We respect and value everyone regardless of age, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or beliefs and sexual orientation. We strive to create an inclusive learning and working environment. Our Strategic Equality Plan is adhered to by all members of the school community and monitored regularly.

‘As you grow up, always tell the truth, do no harm to others, and don't think you are the most important being on earth. Rich or poor, you then can look anyone in the eye and say, 'I'm probably no better than you, but I'm certainly your equal.”
― Harper Lee

Aspiration and Ambition

We have the highest expectations for pupil achievement. We encourage all of our school community to have high aspirations, to strive to do their very best and to be ambitious. Children at Garth approach learning with motivation and are open to challenges. They are encouraged to play a full part in school life, making the most of the wide range of opportunities afforded to them.

‘What the mind can conceive and believe, and the heart desire, you can achieve.”
― Norman Vincent Peale

Celebrating our Diversity, Community and Heritage

We recognise the uniqueness of individuals and we respect our similarities and differences. We are proud of our Welsh heritage and work together to understand the varied cultures within our community.  

“I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort, where we overlap.” ― Ani DiFranco

Happy, Safe, Healthy

We believe it is important to develop our minds and our bodies in a happy and safe environment. Children at Garth have a responsible attitude towards the school’s promises and values. We strive for our children to develop confidence and self- esteem. We want them to be morally and spiritually fulfilled, to be self- disciplined, to show support, respect and empathy towards each other. 

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

Friends and Family

We recognise the importance of friendships and ensure all our children develop trust and respect for their peers.

We are committed to working with our children’s families. We value the significant role parents/carers play as first educators. We also acknowledge the challenges many families face and endeavour to develop positive relationships with home to enhance the life chances of the children we teach.

 “Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” ― Albert Camus

Opening Doors

We aim to provide for our children outstanding teaching and learning opportunities. Our curriculum provision is holistic and has literacy and numeracy at its heart.  We believe in developing the whole child through providing a wide range of stimulating experiences that develop the child cognitively, creatively, physically, morally and spiritually. We aim to nurture a love of learning and enquiry.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ― Nelson Mandela

Removing Barriers to Learning

All children have the right to an education and to feel satisfied intellectually.  At Garth, financial disadvantage is not a barrier to success.  

We believe that we can all succeed if we persevere, and we can find pleasure in overcoming obstacles. We believe that no effort that we make to attain something is ever lost and we strive to provide a wide variety of learning experiences that support and challenge all learners.

“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ― A.A. Milne

Team-Work

At Garth we work together. We are committed to developing a whole school community with children at the centre. Everyone at Garth has a sense of belonging and shares the same vision. We respect each other’s views and opinions and we work together to overcome obstacles, to make learning enjoyable and to achieve our best.

“One finger can not lift a pebble” ― hopi proverb

Honesty and Trust

We aim to create an atmosphere of happiness, security and confidence. We ask everyone within the school community to be open, honest, sensitive and trustworthy. We also ask that everyone gives time to one another to meet the school’s expectations, standards and values. Our school values and promises focus on the significance we place on showing respect; respect for self and one another. Garth children care, are considerate, are loyal and are compassionate.

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of becoming." – Goethe

Environmentally Friendly

We believe that it is essential to care for our environment and the world we live in. We are proud to be a Platinum Flag school which reflects the whole school ethos of looking after our world today and protecting it for tomorrow.

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

Skills for life

We believe in laying and embedding secure foundations that give our pupils the best start in life. We aim to continually support the development of essential skills needed for future life. We aspire to develop children's initiative and self confidence, and to foster independence in learning. Our curriculum is planned to develop subject specific skills and the skills of literacy, numeracy, problem solving, investigation and ICT. We endeavour to give our children opportunities to experience at first hand and then to communicate their understanding through a variety of ways, for example, talk, writing, illustration.

“It is not that I'm so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.” ― Albert Einstein

Tapping into talent

At Garth we believe that everyone has talents and skills, creative, sporting, interpersonal, and academic. We aim to support, nurture and celebrate these talents and skills. We provide a varied, enriched curriculum that appeals to the different learning styles and preferences of our children.

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?” ― Benjamin Franklin

Achieving our goals

We challenge ourselves to achieve our goals and firmly believe there are no limits. We agree challenging and aspirational targets for all our children and our school community that will ensure academic success and personal and social well being.

“Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, Or what's a heaven for?” ― Robert Browning

Risk-taking

We encourage our children to be independent in thought. We want them to show courage and perseverance in taking risks. We believe that making mistakes is vital to learning. Children are encouraged to take risks and benefit from doing so in a safe environment.

‘A ship is always safe at the shore - but that is NOT what it is built for.’ ― Albert Einstein

Shine

We aim for every child to go further than they think possible; to go forward and make their dreams come true.  We believe that everyone can be successful and strive to guide them to that end.

“Shine with all you have. When someone tries to blow you out, just take their oxygen and burn brighter.” ― Katelyn S. Irons