Vision
The vision of Laurel Park School is to develop well rounded students with the ambition and determination to excel in their lives whether this be through academic study, vocational training or employment.
Alongside this, we have a commitment to developing character and integrity across the school and wider community. Opportunities are provided outside of the taught curriculum to develop core life skills, preparing our students to be proud global citizens.
Finally, Laurel Park is a school where all members of the community are treated with care and respect, whilst supported both with their well-being and their academic aspirations.
This is achieved through our Core Values of Integrity, Determination, Excellence and Ambition.
VALUES
Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviours, skills, values and attitudes. At Laurel Park School we recognise the importance of teaching our students how to excel in all these areas with every part of the school life being an opportunity to learn. Our school is one where we celebrate identity, diversity and culture and where we learn about each other to make our school community a richer and more vibrant environment.
Ambition
We encourage all students and staff to dream big and think big and to believe that through hard work and positivity they can achieve anything. For students this may focus on great exam results but it is equally likely to involve ambitions in the creative arts, performing arts or in the world of sport. By valuing the ambition of every person we are providing the building blocks for future greatness and lifelong success.
“One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world"
Malala Yousafzai
Excellence
People are not born with ‘excellence’. Excellence is acquired over a long period of time through hard work and determination and is different from perfection. At Laurel Park, we believe that it is possible and exciting to strive for excellence. We ask every individual, students and staff, to be their very best. While reaching for perfection can be exhausting and narrowing, aiming for excellence on a daily basis should be liberating and full of opportunity. We encourage every member in our community to strive for excellence in lessons, in extra-curricular activities and in social situations.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit"
Aristotle
Determination
Determination is the motivation you need to succeed. At Laurel Park, we recognise that while ambition and desire are crucially important for setting goals, it is ‘determination’ and motivation which we must have, in order to achieve. We encourage our students to ‘embrace the journey’, one step at a time. This is evident in our challenging curriculum: we read ambitious books every day; we provide a broad and challenging curriculum and we put interventions in place to ensure all students reach their potential.
"We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort”
Jesse Owens
Integrity
We believe that choosing what is right over what is convenient marks an individual as having deep integrity. Our school takes real pride in honesty, transparency and in treating each other fairly. This might be found in the way staff and students communicate with each other, in the feedback students receive from a piece of completed work, and playground conversations or those which extend into the local community. We expect the very best from our students and staff, and deeply value authenticity.
"Integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody's watching"
C.S Lewis